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Bentley Continental GT's 20th Birthday Celebrated With One-Off Grand Tourer

Bentley came under the control of Volkswagen in 1998, which paid a little over £430 million for the ailing company. The Wolfsburg-based automaker transformed Bentley into a different animal from what it used to be when Vickers called the shots. Following its 2002 debut at the Paris Motor Show, the Brits couldn't believe how well the Continental GT was received, a model that shaped Bentley into the ultra-luxury colossus it currently is.
Bentley Continental GT S one-off car for the Auto Shanghai 2023 11 photos
Photo: Bentley / edited
Bentley Continental GT S one-off car for the Auto Shanghai 2023Bentley Continental GT S one-off car for the Auto Shanghai 2023Bentley Continental GT S one-off car for the Auto Shanghai 2023Bentley Continental GT S one-off car for the Auto Shanghai 2023Bentley Continental GT S one-off car for the Auto Shanghai 2023Bentley Continental GT S one-off car for the Auto Shanghai 2023Bentley Continental GT S one-off car for the Auto Shanghai 2023Bentley Continental GT S one-off car for the Auto Shanghai 2023Bentley Continental GT S one-off car for the Auto Shanghai 2023Bentley Continental GT S one-off car for the Auto Shanghai 2023
In production since 2003, the Continental GT is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023. The year-long party has already started at the Shanghai Auto Show, where a one-of-one car was unveiled with a plethora of commemorative badging and many unique additions.

Based on the GT S, which means 4.0-liter V8 rather than the 6.0-liter W12 we associate with Bentley's grand tourer, the one-off commission is wearing a beautiful shade of dark gray metallic complemented by 22-inch wheels in black and black-finished chrome front mesh grille. The 10-spoke wheels contrast beautifully with the red-painted brake calipers, red on the side mirrors, red lip spoiler up front, and the red side skirt extensions.

Sporty and opulent, the unnamed one-off model is very special on the inside as well. Opening the driver's door reveals Beluga and Hotspur leather upholstery, Piano Black trim pieces, dual-finish fascias and waistrails, and unique detailing for the center console and treadplates.

All four headrests read Mulliner in uppercase letters, the passenger side of the dashboard and a center console cubby door read 20 Years of the Continental, and the treadplates carry the same words. Stylized silhouettes of the original and third-gen Continental GT coupe are featured as well, along with the wheel designs of the original and the car that Bentley unveiled in Shanghai.

The specialness continues with Granite Stone for the upper fascia veneer and Grand Black for the lower fascia veneer, separated by a red pinstripe. The finishing touch comes in the guise of the unique projection of the LED welcome lamps, which resembles the Continental GT.

Bentley notes in the attached release that the Conti GT's birthday coincides with the 20th anniversary of the W12 engine developed by the Volkswagen Group, which is ending production in April 2024. The British company prepares for the all-electric future, but until the switch is complete, hybridized powertrains will have to suffice.

In truth, the aforementioned W12 is a bit older. Audi was the first Volkswagen Group automaker to roll out this engine in the A8 for Europe and Asia. It didn't sell well, with Audi moving 750 units through 2003, the year said engine became synonymous with the Continental GT.

It's also crazy that Bentley didn't equip its one-off car with the 12-cylinder legend, but on the other hand, remember that China taxes engines larger than 4.0 liters pretty drastically. That's why the Audi-Porsche V8 has nearly 4.0 liters of displacement, and that's also why Mercedes-AMG rocks 4.0-liter V8 powerplants.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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