Twenty years ago, Bentley achieved its sixth and final Le Mans victory with the Speed 8, a magnificent closed-roof prototype that was largely inspired by Audi’s extremely successful prototype program. Last year, Bentley returned the Speed 8 to service and is now paying tribute to the prototype with a limited edition Continental GT and GTC. And, uniquely, the so-called Bentley Le Mans Collection has an actual piece of the winning Speed 8.
Bentley preserved the race-winning V-8 in 2003, and for the Le Mans Collection, cut 24 of its 32 valves in half, creating 48 pieces that will be displayed under glass in the center console of each car. Typically, Bentley’s rotating display rotates to reveal the outside temperature, compass, and chronograph indicators instead of the infotainment screen. In the Le Mans Collection, the compass in the center is replaced by a valve display case divided into two. It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen in a car before.
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Beyond the valves, the Le Mans Collection cars sport a metallic green-on-white livery similar to that of the Speed 8, and the No. 7 painted on the grille references the winning car’s number. Where there would normally be a badge indicating the engine type (V-8 or W-12) on the fender, there is a 24 Hours of Le Mans logo. On the door sills there is a drawing of the profile of the Speed 8 and crowns for each of Bentley’s victories at Le Mans. Those crowns are repeated on the edge of the carbon fiber dashboard with the victory years indicated below, and the clock on the center console has a unique 24-hour dial.
Otherwise, the Le Mans Collection cars are basically identical to the Continental GT and GTC Speed. That means you get 650 horsepower from a 6.0-liter W-12 engine, one of the last of its kind, all-wheel drive, and all the chassis technology Bentley has in its arsenal. They are big, heavy cars, but they accelerate like freight trains and drive much better than they should. Spiritually, they are not far from the gigantic luxury cars that Bentley successfully campaigned at Le Mans in the 1920s and 1930s.
Forty-eight Le Mans Collection cars will be built, presumably half coupes and half convertibles. Bentley declined to announce pricing, although it’s a nice increase over the Continental GT Speed’s already substantial $291,225.
A childhood car enthusiast, Chris Perkins is a Road & Track engineering nerd and Porsche apologist. He joined the staff in 2016 and no one has found a way to fire him since. He parks a Porsche Boxster on the street in Brooklyn, New York, to the horror of everyone who sees the car, including the author himself. He also insists that he is not a convertible person, despite having three.
