Bentley at the 2016 Concours of Elegance

In an extraordinary showcase of automotive excellence, over 150 Bentleys graced the grounds of Windsor Castle at this year’s Concours of Elegance, held last September 2 to 4.

Established in 2012, the inaugural Concours of Elegance was held within Windsor Castle to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen’s reign. The first Concours of Elegance set a new global benchmark for a classic- car concours, winning prestigious awards in the process—unheard of for a start-up event in its first year.

The second Concours of Elegance was held in 2013 to equal fanfare at the historic Royal Palace of St. James in London, while the widely acclaimed and, biggest yet, third concours, was set in the stunning grounds of Hampton Court Palace in September 2014.

Only vehicles of the highest caliber are invited to the Concours of Elegance, with the rarest cars from all over the world painstakingly handpicked by the Concours Steering Committee, a respected team of authoritative historic car experts. A key objective of the annual Concours of Elegance is to raise significant sums for charity.

Now on its fifth year, the Concours of Elegance has established itself as one of the world’s most prestigious motoring gatherings, convening the finest cars at Britain’s stunning Royal palaces.

As a key partner of the Concours, Bentley, one of the most sought-after ultraluxury car brands in the world, presented a range of models from its past and present – from the renowned 1930 Six-Speed Van den Plas Tourer ‘ Old Number 2,’ to the new Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase, and the all-new Bentayga.

The company, with its headquarters in Crewe being home to 4,000 employees and to all of its operations including design, research and development, engineering, and production of the company’s four model lines – Continental, Flying Spur, Bentayga and Mulsanne – combines fine craftsmanship, using skills that have been handed down through generations, alongside engineering expertise and cutting- edge technology unique to this ultra-luxury car brand, to provide highvalue British manufacturing at its finest.

Bentley showcased three cars that bring to life the story of the Mulsanne, the marque’s pinnacle luxury flagship. The first is Chassis No. 2, a perfect example of the first Mulsanne produced, while the other two are part of the current Mulsanne family – the Mulsanne Speed and the Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase – so as to display different interpretations of Bentley’s flagship.

Focusing on performance and power, the Mulsanne Speed delivers 530 hp and 1,100 Nm of torque. The Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase, on the other hand, offers an additional 250 mm of rear legroom for those who prefer to be driven in unrivalled luxury and style.

To celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th year, Bentley exhibited three cars as part of a special display of iconic vehicles launched during her lifetime: the very first examples of the Continental GT and the Bentayga to roll off the production line at Bentley’s factory in Crewe, and Her Majesty The Queen’s State Limousine.

Bentley Motors is a Warrant Holder to Her Majesty The Queen, and is proud to have supplied the Bentley State Limousine, the official transport of The Sovereign, on the occasion of The Queen’s Golden Jubilee.