The Beautiful 2019 Bentley Number 1 Edition

Launched to mark both the centenary of Bentley and the 90th anniversary of the famous Blower Bentleys, the Continental GT Convertible Number 1 Edition by Mulliner is a modern reinvention of a truly iconic racing car, featuring 18-carat gold-plated badges on the wings and a painted number ‘1’ in the radiator grille.

The Number 1 Edition is based on the Bentley Continental GT Convertible, and dates from 2019. It was restricted to just 100 bespoke examples, all hand-built in Crewe. With 626bhp on tap, it has astonishing performance – 0-60mph in a mere 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 207mph. It became the final car in Bentley’s Centenary trilogy. As with the Mulsanne W.O. Edition and the Continental GT Number 9 Edition, each of the strictly limited production run incorporated a unique piece of Bentley history.

Within the Bentley Rotating Display, a small wheel spinner, reminiscent of those found on Blower Number 1 (which held the lap record at Brooklands of 137mph in 1926) and other historic Bentleys, is set in resin. In a move that Bentley claimed “merged the best of design both present and past”, each wheel spinner was cast from a piston taken from that first car during the model’s restoration work.

Finished in Dragon Red with a Beluga folding roof, this example I pictured at Concours of Elegance 2020 has a range of bespoke features that encapsulate the spirit of a golden era of motor sport, including factory Black Line specification and a carbon bodykit. The model was also available with the reverse of this colour scheme, Beluga bodywork and a Dragon Red roof, with production split evenly between the two themes.

The Number 1 Edition also features the 2019-only Bentley Centenary Specification Pack, which incorporates Centenary badges to the rear and on the wheel centres, Centenary LED welcome lamps, Centenary badging on the gearlever and steering wheel, and a Centenary badge on the key-fob. Other unique details include jewelled filler and oil caps, 22-inch alloy wheels in gloss black and a unique Centenary-themed facia boasting a Jaeger clock featuring a Number 1 face.

ENGINE

6.0-litre, W12 turbocharged stratified injection (TSI), 626bhp

CONFIGURATION

Front engine, four-wheel drive, monocoque, dual-clutch eight-speed automatic transmission, three-chamber air suspension with dynamically adjustable Active Ride Control, disc brakes