Bentley Le Mans Collection Celebrates the Luxury Brand's Racing Heritage
Bentley will release special editions of its Continental GT Coupe and Continental GTC Convertible to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its last 24 Hours of Le Mans race victory.
The Bentley Le Mans Collection is limited to 48 units worldwide, the automaker announced last week. This special model features unique exterior styling elements inspired by the Bentley Speed 8 Le Mans number 7 prototype, which won the overall championship in 2003.
The Le Mans collection features the Speed 8 livery with Verdant Green paint and a central moonbeam racing stripe. The number 7 is also painted on the mesh grille, representing a return to an older era of racing. The grille itself is black, as are the lower front bumper, mirror caps, lower trunk lid, and 22-inch wheels. Red brake calipers and carbon fiber complete the look.
A Bentley rotating display is standard, with a central touchscreen that rotates out of sight when not needed. When the touchscreen is out of view, the panel houses the valves of the Le Mans-winning Speed 8 engine. The dashboard and door sill plates are engraved with a wreath symbolizing Bentley's six Le Mans victories. Seat upholstery and steering wheel trim combine leather and suede-like Dinamica fabric with piano black and shiny carbon fiber.
The Le Mans collection is powered by Bentley's twin-turbo 6.0-liter W-12 engine, producing 650 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque. It also features air suspension, four-wheel steering, and carbon ceramic brakes.
While six Le Mans victories are an important part of the Bentley mythology, the Bentley brand has not always had a consistent presence in the legendary endurance race. but did not return to Le Mans until 2001, and although he has not returned since his 2003 victory, he has run Continental GTs in the lower GT3 class and won the Bathurst 12 Hours race in Australia in 2020. Bentley withdrew from GT3 after the 2021 racing season.
