On the eve of the Geneva Motor Show 2019, Bentley has revealed a special edition Continental GT, the Continental GT Number 9 Edition by Mulliner. The car they have been teasing is a special edition version of the recently released Continental GT. Just 100 will be built to celebrate the company’s 100-year celebrations. The model features a number 9 painted into the grille to pay homage to the Birkin Bentley Blower of yesteryear.
Specifically, the Number 9 Edition pays homage to Sir Henry Ralph Stanley ‘Tim’ Birkin, one of the original, ‘Bentley Boys’. He was a Bentley customer, investor and a racing driver. The 4 ½ litre ‘Blower’ was born through his commission. It featured a supercharged engine with power of 175 bhp. Birkin raced it at Le Mans in 1930, retiring from the race.
Bentley’s homage to this iconic Bentley Boy gets No.9 badgework and a bold, matching front grille graphic. Paintwork is either Viridian green or Beluga black. The 21 inch, 10-spoke wheels also gets the same colour choice with Black Line Specification and carbon body kit standard equipment.
Inside the Number 9 Edition by Mulliner gets either Cumbrian Green or Beluga heritage hides. The facias are glossier and the debossed ‘B’ logos adorn the seat headrests and door panels as they did the door pads of the 1930 ‘Blower’. The dash features ‘Turned Aluminium’, as was the fashion in the 1920s and ’30s. A Jaeger clock face sits in the centre with a vintage feel.
Each of the special edition Continental GT’s will get a wood insert from Birkin’s 1930 number 9 installed into the Bentley Rotating Display. It is backlit and set in resin. Further unique touches include 18K gold plated organ stops inspired by those in the No.9 ‘Blower’ and ‘1 of 100’ treadplates.
Pricing has yet to be released.
