Bentley have introduced the Continental GT Convertible Number 1 Edition. This car by Mulliner has been made to pay homage to the Bentley Blower of 1929 and features some specific design elements that are reminiscent of the same. The car is the third and final on the Bentley Centenary line up which is made up of the Mulsanne W.O. Edition and the Continental GT Convertible Number 9 Edition. The Number 1 Edition will be extremely exclusive and will be limited to 100 units worldwide.
The No.1 Bentley Blower is the car responsible for Bentley’s racing heritage after it set the Outer Circuit record at Brooklands racetrack at Surrey in 1932. It was driven by Tim Birkin and car averaged 220.48kmph, a record that was Bentleys for two years.
The Number 1 Edition is available in two colours, Dragon Red II or Beluga with the option of a Claret or Beluga folding hood. The car is also equipped with the Centenary pack which include – Centenary badges at the rear of the car and on all wheel centres, Centenary LED welcome lamps, and Centenary badge on the gear lever, steering wheel and key-fob. The Number 1 Edition also gets the Bentley Black Line specification and a carbon body kit. The 22-inch wheels on Number 1 Edition can be had in cricket-ball or gloss black colour finishes.
Powering the Number 1 Edition is based on the Continental GT Convertible engine which is the 6
litre twin-turbocharged W12 TSI engine which produces 626bhp of power and 900Nm of torque. The Continental GT boasts of a 0-100kmph time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 333kmph. But since no official specs have been revealed for the Number Edition, we can assume that the figures would be in the whereabouts of the standard car.
The Number 1 Edition has some distinct features that are reminiscent of the No1. Bentley Blower. The Number 1 Edition gets wheel spinners similar to that of the Blower and they have been cast from a piston from the No.1 Bentley Blower. The front grille has the number 1 painted on it and the front fender features 18-carrat gold plated badging.
The interior is also shod with either cricket ball or beluga hide options with heritage hide on the seats and door pads with the B insignia on the headrests and door inserts. The panelling comprises of grand black wood veneer with 18carat gold plated organ stops while the steering wheel and gear lever are alcantara. The clock has a Number 1 clock face and there is a Number 1 tread plate insert. The centre console of the dashboard incorporates engine spin (turned aluminium) a popular racing car and aviation finish in the 1920s and ‘30s as it limited light reflection.
July 10, 2019 marks the hundredth year of Bentley. To celebrate this occasion Bentley have the Centenary Trio, which is made up of the Mulsanne W.O. Edition, the Continental GT Convertible Number 9 Edition and the Continental GT Convertible Number 1 Edition along with various events that will be happening across the globe.
Words by Karan Ramgopal