Bentley Motors is participating in the ‘2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed’ held from July 13 to 16 in Goodwood, West Sussex, UK.
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Continental GT and the W12 engine—symbols of Bentley’s performance and technology—the automaker will present a range of vehicles symbolizing Bentley’s past, present, and future. Additionally, they will unveil the Speed Six from the ‘Continuation Series,’ a legendary classic model restored and produced to the same specifications as the original for the first time.
The model leading the parade of Bentley vehicles at the 2023 Goodwood Festival is the exclusive limited edition Batur, created by the bespoke division Mulliner. The Batur is a grand tourer handcrafted by Mulliner’s artisans using traditional coachbuilding methods and is the last model equipped with the W12 engine, showcasing the design DNA of Bentley’s future electric vehicles. It boasts a powerful performance of 750 horsepower and 102.0 kg.m of torque.
Following the Batur, the Continental GT Le Mans Collection, created to commemorate its activities at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Flying Spur Speed Edition 12 celebrating the 20th anniversary of the W12 engine, and the high-performance convertible grand tourer Continental GTC Speed will dazzle attendees, along with the first Continuation Series model, the ‘Blower’ prototype vehicle that competed earlier this month in the Classic Le Mans Series.
The second model from the ‘Continuation Series’ which reproduces Bentley’s legendary classic models, the Speed Six Continuation Series, will be unveiled for the first time in the world at the 2023 Goodwood Festival. The Speed Six is a classic racing car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1929 and 1930, with only 12 units handcrafted by Mulliner artisans.
At Bentley’s booth at the 2023 Goodwood Festival, visitors can experience the essence of Mulliner bespoke craftsmanship. The Speed Six, along with another Batur prototype and a special Flying Spur Mulliner model completed through Mulliner’s personal commissioning, will be showcased to welcome guests.
The Bentayga, which set a new record in the production SUV class at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb in 2018, and the Continental GT race car that won the production car class record in 2019 will also make their Goodwood Festival debut, showcasing Bentley’s motorsport heritage.
Additionally, several vehicles from the Bentley Heritage Collection, including the first-generation Continental GT, the Continental Flying Spur, the Continental Supersports ISR that set an ice speed world record in 2011, the first production Bentayga, the second-generation Flying Spur S, and the second-generation Continental Supersports, will be displayed at the 2023 Goodwood Festival to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Continental GT and the W12 engine.
Meanwhile, through the 2023 Goodwood Festival, Bentley Motors celebrates the heritage of the W12 engine, which has symbolized exceptional performance and technology, while bidding farewell.
Production of the W12 engine will officially end in April 2024, marking the beginning of the journey towards electrification in line with the ‘Beyond100’ strategy for achieving sustainable luxury. Bentley Motors plans to introduce its first pure electric vehicle in 2026, with a plan to launch five electric vehicles by 2030 to achieve complete electrification.
Jang In-seong daedusj@autodiary.kr