Bentley Mulliner has revealed the Olympia Collection, an exclusive run of 12 individually numbered Continental GT models celebrating both engineering excellence and W.O. Bentley’s relentless spirit to create the very best automobiles. The collection marks a full century since the 1926 Olympia Motor Show, where Bentley Motors unveiled the production version of its second-ever model line, the six-cylinder 6 1/2 Litre.
A century on, the 12 Olympia Collection Continental GTs continue the Bentley DNA, combining exhilarating performance with hand-crafted luxury. Through subtle detailing, bespoke features and a curated color palette, Mulliner’s designers have created a fitting tribute to W.O.’s pursuit of excellence.
The spirit of W.O. Bentley
Bentley’s first ever model, the 3 Litre, launched in 1921 to an enthusiastic reception from discerning owners and enthusiasts. But it soon became clear there was an unfulfilled demand for a larger chassis and a more powerful engine suited to the heavier coachwork of a large luxury saloon. In 1926, 12 months after the new chassis and engine had been previewed, the production car was presented at the Olympia Motor Show as the new Bentley 6 1/2 Litre.
A key moment in the gestation of the 6 1/2 Litre occurred in 1924, when W.O. and three colleagues were testing a six-cylinder prototype in France, traveling from the European Grand Prix in Lyon to Dieppe. By an astonishing coincidence, the disguised Bentley and a prototype test team from Bentley’s closest competitor converged at a Y junction in the French countryside. Recognizing each other, the two parties raced side by side at over 80 mph along the straight, tree-lined Route Nationale, neither wishing to concede. Though the Bentley eventually triumphed, W.O. felt dissatisfied with the margin of victory, and on return to England he revised the six-cylinder, increasing its capacity from 4.5 litres to 6.5 litres in order, as he later wrote, “to stay two steps ahead”.
A distinct exterior
The Olympia Collection evokes the character of the 1920s through a unique Ombre by Mulliner finish, a seamless gradation of dark green from Verdant to Midnight Emerald created exclusively for this collection. Champagne Gold badges and a lower bodywork pinstripe recall the golden hue of the nickel silver used for the radiator shells and switchgear of those early models, while the Blackline specification covers all exterior brightwork including the matrix grille, intakes and rear diffuser. The black 22-inch Mulliner wheels feature face accents in Champagne Gold to evoke the spoked wheels of the era, and discreet Olympia Collection badges sit on the front wings. Opening the doors triggers an animated projection of W.O. Bentley’s Lyon to Dieppe spirited drive onto the ground.
Many Bentleys of the 1920s were finished in British Racing Green, but there was never a single standardized version of the shade, and the copper used in finishes of that era degrades under UV light. Mulliner’s answer was the innovative Ombre finish, a process that takes 56 hours of painstaking work by highly skilled paint technicians. Taking Verdant and Midnight Emerald as the two extremes, the gradual transition between them ensures that every conceivable variant of British Racing Green is covered.
A detailed interior
Inside, a bespoke color split unique to the Olympia Collection pairs Cumbrian Green secondary hide with a Coach Green main hide in a heritage-patinated finish. The fascia and waistrails are trimmed in black stained, open pore crown cut walnut veneer, and the controls and dials feature diamond knurling, another long-standing Bentley hallmark.
The Bentley Rotating Display features design details on the clock, an individual number, and dials and bezels inspired by the instruments of the 1926 6 1/2 Litre. Champagne Gold, seen on the exterior badging, pinstripe and wheels, also appears on the seat piping, gear lever and organ stops, while the box stitching on the steering wheel evokes the rope-bound wheels of the 1920s. In the rear, bespoke ski hatch embroidery pays tribute to the Lyon to Dieppe journey, with blind embroidery in Cumbrian Green outlining the region and the route itself picked out in Champagne Gold. Black treadplates carry the Olympia Collection by Mulliner motif.
Each of the 12 cars will be supplied with a bespoke green car cover with Champagne Gold motif, a commemorative handover box, a book telling the story of the Olympia Collection, and a handcrafted Brooklands Watch Co. chronograph. Each watch is individually numbered to match its vehicle, with a strap crafted from the same Coach Green hide used in the car’s interior, a chapter ring graphic echoing the laser etching on the Bentley Rotating Display, and two interchangeable tachymeter bezels referencing Brooklands’ Outer Circuit and Double Twelve Circuit.
From 1926 to 2026
The presence of the 6 1/2 Litre at the Olympia Motor Show in 1926 saw Bentley claim its place at the apex of luxury, offering customers more power, torque and refinement without sacrificing the marque’s sporting character. In its later Speed Six form it would win Le Mans in 1929 and 1930 along with countless other races. The uncompromising drive for excellence epitomized by W.O.’s Lyon to Dieppe run can still be found in Crewe’s Dream Factory today, and in every vehicle the company makes a century later.
Source: Bentley Motors press release via Bentley Media, 5 November 2026.
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