2010 Bentley Continental Series 51 – Official Photos and Info

Written by nitram on September 12, 2009

When do you know your super-premium cars are becoming perhaps too old or commonplace for their aristocratic target market? When you have to start doing special editions to keep them moving. In Los Angeles, Bentley Continentals seem as common as Chevy Cavaliers on Sunset Boulevard; exclusivity is hard to guarantee even at close to $200,000.

One, Two, Three Tones a Bentley

Enter the Series 51 Bentley Continental range, named after the year Bentley’s first official styling department was established in Crewe by John Blatchley, who shaped the iconic 1950s Bentley Continentals.

Available on both Continental GT and GTC models, in both standard and “Speed” form, the Series 51 package features snazzy 20-inch “Diamond” wheels and bespoke interiors, including three-tone leather combinations with contrasting piping and smooth, quilted seat and door inserts. Modeling one such combo at the Frankfurt auto show is a convertible outfitted with Imperial Blue as the main and secondary colors, with Linen seat and door inserts and Newmarket Tan as the accent color, all of which come together in a way that, as Paris Hilton might say, looks “hot.” Other special interior treats include light or dark tinted machine-turned aluminum trim and limited-edition Amboyna veneer reserved for the Series 51. Sill plates also are unique to the Series 51.

Exterior changes are more subtle, and include only the aforementioned 14-spoke, 20-inch wheels and “51” badges on the front fenders. Also, if you get a 51-Series Speed, you’ll have to be okay with the Speed’s multispoke wheels.

How much? Bentley wouldn’t say yet, but one source estimated that one could count on spending at least five grand for the upgrade, but likely not more than $10K, depending on the bodystyle and whether or not it is starting life as a Speed model. Deliveries begin next year.