New Bentley Continental GT Le Mans Collection arrives in run of just 48 examples, each carrying a special race-proven surprise in its dashboard

Bentley is making the most of its illustrious racing history with the introduction of the new Continental GT Le Mans Collection, a limited-run car that pays homage to the brand’s famous Speed 8 racer – car #7 – that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2003 at the hands of Guy Smith, Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello.

A number of detail changes have been made by Mulliner, Bentley’s bespoke personalisation service. On the outside, the most obvious of these is a large ‘7’ painted on the grille – an homage both to the victorious Speed 8 and its 1920s counterparts, the latter of which carried their racing numbers in a similar fashion.

A prominent racing stripe runs across the bonnet and roof in a direct nod to the Speed 8, complementing the car’s Verdant Green paintwork and contrasting Blackline details. Carbon-fibre parts also feature in reference to the modern-era race car, each sporting a white pin-stripe. The car’s optional carbon-ceramic brakes feature calipers finished in red, set behind 22-inch alloy wheels finished in black.

The bespoke, race-inspired specification continues inside the cabin, where black leather and napped Dynamica fabric is set against Piano Black and gloss carbon fibre trim. Sill plates, puddle lamps, facia and treadplates all feature a six-wreath emblem that celebrates Bentley’s six outright wins at Le Mans between 1924 and 2003. A 24-hour clock also features in place of the standard car’s 12-hour item.

Perhaps the most interesting and unexpected change is the Continental GT‘s party-piece rotating dash: the centre dial is replaced by a tiny display case featuring half of an engine valve from the #7 Speed 8’s V8 engine. Bentley says the Speed 8’s engine removed after the race; 24 of the unit’s 32 valves have been bisected to create 48 display pieces for the Le Mans Collection run.

Power comes from the familiar twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine, tuned to produce 659hp and 664lb ft of torque – the same output as the top-of-the-line Continental GT Mulliner. The 0-60mph sprint is covered off in 3.5 seconds and top speed in 208mph.

Other mechanical carry-overs include Bentley Dynamic Ride – a 48-volt active anti-roll system – plus active air suspension with adaptive damping, variable stability control, all-wheel steering and an electronic limited-slip differential. Four-wheel drive features alongside a Porsche-derived eight-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox.

Pricing and on-sale details have not been announced but the car is expected to sell out very quickly.