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Number 1 Edition Bentley convertible has ties to 1929 racer

Bentley has created a limited-edition Continental GT Convertible to further commemorate its centenary. The Number 1 Edition by Mulliner is done in the style of the 1929 Bentley Blower Number 1, a legendary racing car from the days when the company was just a decade old. The original 4 1/2 -liter car set an average speed record of 137 mph at Brooklands in 1932. The Number 1 Edition is car three out of three centenary editions, the earlier models being the Mulsanne W.O. Edition and the Continental GT Number 1 Edition. As well as featuring other special touches only seen on the 100 units built, each Number 1 Edition also has a direct memento from the original 1929 car: a display piece built into the dashboard, housing a small wheel spinner that has been cast from an original piston of the Number 1, sacrificed during restoration work. The dashboard trim is done in "Engine Spin"-style turned aluminum; the engine is the 6.0-liter W12. Bentley offers the Number 1 Edition cars in either Dragon Red II or Beluga exterior paint, and the interior can be specified in either Cricket Ball or Beluga color. The cars have Bentley's Black Line specification combined with a Carbon Body Kit, and the Centenary Specification pack that comes with special badging and illumination. The front grille with its large painted-on number is specific to the Number 1, the fenders have 18 carat gold badging, and the 22-inch wheels can be had in either a Cricket Ball or Gloss Black finish.

Bentley builds its final 6.75-liter V8, ending a 61-year production run

Bentley has just finished its very last 6.75-liter V8. While engines come and go, this is significant because Bentley has been building this engine, known as the L-series, for 61 years. This final engine will go in the 30th and last Bentley Mulsanne, a 6.75 Edition by Mulliner, marking the end of the flagship sedan. The L-series engine was first introduced in 1959, and according to Bentley, it was developed in order to develop more power than its existing inline-six without adding weight or taking up more space. The engine in fact weighed 30 pounds less than the six-cylinder, and it made about 180 horsepower. That original engine "only" had 6.2-liters of displacement, and it wasn't until 1971 that it would reach 6.75 liters thanks to increased stroke. This final version of the engine is significantly different from its fuel injection to its twin-turbochargers, but is based on the same design. And with 530 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque, it's the most powerful iteration of the engine. At 61 years, the Bentley engine is arguably the V8 with the longest production run. While the first-generation Chevy small block V8 was introduced earlier for the 1955 model year and is still built in crate engine form, GM stopped using it in production cars in 2002. Far fewer Bentley engines were built, though, with a total over 36,000, as opposed to the millions of Chevy small blocks in the world. Of course, volume is sort of the antithesis of what makes a Bentley a Bentley. With the 6.75-liter engine out of production, all of Bentley's engines are derived from VW Group engines, from its W12 to the plug-in hybrid V6. Related Video:    

Bentley to unveil zero-emissions EXP 100 GT on July 10

Some people take part in excessive celebrations with a birthday week. Bentley went the extra mile and has been celebrating a full all-out birthday year, with a variety of special-edition models and events. The British manufacturer has been milking its centenary leading up to July 10, 2019, when it will unveil the EXP 100 GT, a zero-emissions autonomous car that Bentley bills as "the future of grand touring."  During the past year, Bentley has released Centenary Specifications for all of its models, a $250,000 book, the Continental GT Convertible No. 1 Edition by Mulliner, a Bentley Continental GT No. 9 Edition, and a Mulsanne W.O. Edition, all in honor of 100 years of the company. These special products have created a build-up toward one of Bentley's biggest launches ever in the EXP 100 GT.  The EXP 100 GT is expected to be Bentley's first electric car, but the EXP nomenclature indicates it will only be a concept, for now. It will also be autonomous, as the ultimate level of grand touring is supposedly having the choice to drive or be driven.  Bentley says it will be "a physical embodiment of the future brand," and will "set the new benchmark for luxury craftsmanship." This will be accomplished with "a fascinating array of materials," all of which are handcrafted to Bentley's over-the-top standards.  The unveiling event will be livestreamed on BentleyMedia.com, or enthusiasts can register for the event on a microsite called Extraordinary Journeys. The sheet is expected to be pulled at 11 a.m. EDT Wednesday, July 10.