Bentley Olympia Collection, a century of elegance by Mulliner

Bentley celebrates a century of history with the new Olympia Collection by Mulliner, a series of just 12 individually numbered Continental GTs inspired by the legendary Bentley 6 1/2 Litre, which was unveiled to the public at the 1926 Olympia Motor Show.

The collection was born as a tribute to the spirit of W.O. Bentley and its continuous pursuit of performance, refinement and innovation. One hundred years later, Mulliner translates that heritage through materials, colors and details that recall the Twenties without turning the Continental GT into a retro exercise.

From the 1926 6 1/2 Litre to the Continental GT

The Bentley 6 1/2 Litre marked an important step in the history of the brand. After the success of the 3 Litre, Bentley developed a more powerful model that was suitable for the larger bodies of the high-end sedans of the time. An episode in 1924 contributed directly to its evolution. On a trip to France from Lyon to Dieppe, W.O. Bentley and three colleagues, while testing a six-cylinder prototype, happened to find themselves next to the test team of a competing manufacturer. The result was a high-speed confrontation along a Route Nationale. Bentley prevailed, but the advantage did not satisfy W.O., who on his return to England decided to increase the displacement of the six-cylinder from 4.5 to 6.5 liters, with the aim, as he would later write, of remaining "two steps ahead".

A green that crosses all the shades of British Racing Green

The most recognizable feature of the Olympia Collection is the Ombré by Mulliner paintwork, made exclusively for this series. The bodywork progressively changes from Verdant to Midnight Emerald, creating a continuous transition between two shades of dark green. The process requires about 56 hours of work by Mulliner's specialized technicians. The choice recalls the British Racing Green of the Bentleys of the twenties, a color that at the time did not have a single coding and that varied significantly from one car to another. Mulliner therefore chose to interpret this multiplicity through a progressive shade, rather than reproducing a single historical shade. Contrasting Champagne Gold details appear, used for badges, pinstripes on the lower part of the body and accents of the black 22-inch Mulliner wheels. The Blackline specification extends the black to the grille, air intakes and rear diffuser.

Interiors between patina and high craftsmanship

The cabin continues the dialogue between history and contemporary workmanship. The main leather is a specially developed Coach Green shade with a patinated effect, flanked by Cumbrian Green. The dashboard and mouldings use open-pore crown-cut walnut stained black. The controls and dials adopt diamond knurling processing, while some elements of the Bentley Rotating Display graphically echo the instruments of the 1926 6 1/2 Litre. Champagne Gold returns in the seat edges, gear lever and ventilation controls. The steering wheel also tells the story of the collection: the box-stitching stitching evokes the rope-covered steering wheels used on Bentleys in the twenties.

The Lyon-Dieppe route becomes an on-board detail

One of the most original elements is located at the rear of the passenger compartment. The ski compartment features an embroidery dedicated to the Lyon-Dieppe journey by W.O. Bentley. The geographical profile is made in Cumbrian Green, while the path is highlighted in Champagne Gold. The same episode is taken up by the animated welcome projection that appears on the ground when the doors are opened. The historical narrative is therefore not confined to a commemorative plaque, but is distributed through small elements integrated into the design.

A chronograph dedicated to Brooklands

Each car is delivered with a range of items made specifically for the collection, including a bespoke case, a volume dedicated to the history of the Olympia Collection and a Brooklands Watch Co. chronograph. The watch is numbered to match the car and uses the same Coach Green leather as the cabin for the strap. The caseback graphically echoes the commemorative engravings on the Bentley Rotating Display, while two interchangeable tachymeter bezels refer to the Outer Circuit and the Double Twelve Circuit at Brooklands, one of the places most closely linked to Bentley's sporting history.

Twelve specimens for a century of history

The Olympia Collection celebrates not just a single car, but a defining moment in Bentley's evolution. The 6 1/2 Litre helped define a new balance between performance and refinement and, in the subsequent Speed Six version, went on to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1929 and 1930. A century later, Mulliner transferred that same narrative to a contemporary Continental GT through color, materials, details and meticulously selected historical references. Production will be limited to 12 examples, each numbered: a collection that uses the past not as a simple nostalgic exercise, but as a key to reinterpreting one of the most important chapters of Bentley's identity.

By the editorial staff, Avion Luxury Magazine

Text source and photos: © Copyright Bentley Motors Press Office