Tuesday 3rd December 2019

Conti GT Limited Edition marks Pikes Peak record

Bentley makes 15 cars available to mark hill climb feat - lurid green not mandatory...

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For a car so large and heavy, that the Bentley Continental GT made such light work of the Pikes Peak hill climb remains an astonishing achievement. Even allowing for Rhys Millen's expertise, surpassing a 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S by more than eight seconds is quite the result.

To mark the occasion, Bentley has created this Limited Edition GT, in a similar vein to that of the Bentayga - it of course having set a new SUV record last year. So yes, it's extremely green - or Radium by Mulliner, to give the paint its full, brilliant name - but the presence of a black car in the shots suggested that other options are available.

Whatever colour is chosen, though, a prospective buyer won't fully escape the green link back to the record car: see the calipers, the Pirelli P Zero Colour Edition tyres, the interior stitching, the steering wheel 12 o'clock mark, the speakers... For the truly committed, a '100' grille is available for full special edition kudos.

That said, the rest of the Pikes Peak accoutrements should get the message through. Note the wing badges, the sill plates and the (yes, green) course map above the glovebox. And the mountains embroidered on the headrest. There'll be no forgetting the Pikes Peakness of your Bentley, put it that way.

Handily, this car is still going to feel much like a regular Continental GT to drive (so presumably very good), being as it is mechanically identical to a standard W12. So as well as being capable of 10:18.4 up the 156 turns of the hill climb, this Limited Edition will also do 62mph in 3.7 seconds and 207mph.

Bentley has described this Continental GT as reflecting the company's "spirit of endeavour", and will produce just 15 to celebrate its record success. While the GT is available to order now, there's no UK specific info as yet - more to follow soon!

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Search for a Bentley Continental GT here

 

[Smitters]

May I be struck down by the Gods of Taste, but I really like that in green. I wasn't a fan at all of the Conti GT on launch, but they've grown on me slowly.