The Continental GT Korea Limited Edition is a collaboration between Bentley's bespoke division, Mulliner, and artist Tae Lim Ha. The interior features the artist's signature artwork and the exterior colour is differentiated to create '10' of the world's one-of-a-kind Continental GTs. We were the first to see one of the 10 Continental GT Korea Limited Edition cars at Bentley Tower in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul on Tuesday (26th).
Text and photos by Donghyun Seo (dhseo1208@gmail.com)
Bentley Motors Korea announced its collaboration with artist Tae Lim Ha nearly a year ago. Last year, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Continental GT, the company introduced three different trims and a carbon bodykit called Styling Specification to accentuate the exterior design. This was followed by the creation of a limited edition Continental GT that incorporated the ideas of a leading Korean abstract artist. When I visited Bentley's headquarters in the UK in June last year, I got a sneak peek at the renderings of the Korea Limited Edition while it was still in the works.
Ha's signature 'colour bands' are gentle curves of colourful paint. It is Ha's interpretation of the 'infinite order of the universe', which Mulliner found to be in harmony with their philosophy. It was a key reason for choosing him as the artist for their first art collaboration.
The result is finally here. The base model is the Continental GT Azur. It comes with the Styling Specialisation option as standard, with carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) wrapped around the front and rear bumpers, side skirts and boot lid. The body colour is available in two shades: pure white 'Ice' and dark 'Black Crystal'.
The Azur trim originally emphasised chrome trim to give the car an elegant and luxurious character, but for the limited edition model, it was set apart. The radiator grille, headlamp surrounds, window mouldings and door sills are all black for a sporty look. The imposing 22-inch 10-spoke wheels are also black. The centrepiece is the Mulliner Self-Leveling Wheel Badge, which ensures the wheels are always level while driving.
The limited edition model's distinguishing feature is the carbon bodykit. The edges are painted with accent colours that are about 10 millimetres wide. There are five colours painted in this area: Rich, Arctic Blue, Hyperactive, Linen and Tanzanite Purple, which are combined with the white-black exterior colour to create a total of 10 bikes. The piping on the seat edges is also matched to the exterior accent colour.
The real highlight is inside. Open the doors and you'll be greeted by a bright, colourful interior that's unlike any other Continental GT. The dashboard is scattered with Ha's colourful bands, and the air vents, which he calls 'bullseyes', are also wrapped in colour. The four seat headrests are also embroidered with colourful bands in place of the Bentley logo. The saturation of the coloured bands is enhanced by the brilliant diamond-quilted seats and Piano Mulliner White & Grand Black dual-finish veneer interior.
The tread plates under the doors also feature plaques identifying the artwork and limited edition. Significantly, the tread plates and air vent rims are coloured for the first time in Bentley's history. This is thanks to Mulliner's unrestrictive approach to materials and execution. The detailing of the diamond knurling on the air vents, and the special machining required to make them durable and vibrantly coloured, was a challenge for Mulliner.
The Continental GT Korea Limited Edition is priced at $463.1 million. Not all owners have been chosen yet. Buyers will also receive special benefits from Bentley. Firstly, they will each receive a 45×45cm painting by artist Tae Lim Ha. They will also be invited to visit the factory in Bentley's hometown of Crewe, England, and take part in a tour programme to see how Bentleys are made.
Finally, you'll be able to purchase a bottle of The Macallan Horizon, a Bentley×The Macallan collaboration whisky. The whisky was created to celebrate Macallan's 200th anniversary and will be officially released later this year. All of these perks aside, owning one of only 10 Continental GTs in the world (and in my home country) is satisfying enough.