The Olympia Collection by Mulliner, consisting of 12 Continental GT models that celebrates both engineering excellence and W.O. Bentley’s relentless spirit to create the very best automobiles. It was at the 1926 Olympia Motor Show that Bentley Motors unveiled the production version of it’s second-ever model line, the six-cylinder 6 ½ Litre Bentley. Offered alongside the 3 Litre, the new 6 ½ Litre saw Bentley broaden its appeal, not just offering exceptional performance, but also effortless refinement.
A century on, a collection of 12 Continental GT’s continue the Bentley DNA, combining exhilarating performance with hand-crafted luxury. Through their subtle detailing, bespoke features and curated colour palette, the 12 Olympia Collection Bentleys are 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 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, known as the new Bentley 6 ½ Litre.
A key moment in the gestation of the 6 ½ Litre occurred in 1924 when W.O. and three colleagues were testing a six-cylinder prototype in France, travelling 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.
Recognising 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 1920’s while celebrating the spirit of W.O. Bentley. Its unique Ombré by Mulliner finish provides a seamless gradation of dark green from Verdant to Midnight Emerald, while the Champagne Gold badges and lower bodywork pinstripe recall the golden hue of the nickel silver used for the radiator shells and switchgear of those early models. The Blackline specification covers all exterior brightwork, including matrix grille, intakes and rear diffuser, while the black 22” Mulliner wheels feature face accents in Champagne Gold to evoke the look of spoked wheels of the era. Discreet Olympia Collection badges can be found on the front wings, and on opening the doors, an animated projection of W.O. Bentley’s Lyon-Dieppe spirited drive illuminates the ground.
Covering the spectrum of British Racing Green
Many Bentleys of the 1920s were finished in British Racing Green, and the Mulliner Bespoke Studio believed this would be the right choice for the Olympia Collection. However, there were many contemporary versions of that shade in the ‘20s, and to complicate the issue, the copper used in finishes of that era degrades under UV light. As a result, there’s no standardised RAL colour match for British Racing Green.
To create a fresh interpretation for the Olympia Collection, Mulliner’s designers were inspired by the innovative ‘Ombré by Mulliner’ 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 Ombré finish creates a uniform and gradual transition between the two shades – and thus ensures that every conceivable variant of British Racing Green is covered.
A detailed interior
A thoughtfully curated palette of colours and finishes creates an interior environment for the Olympia Collection that is both true to the spirit of an earlier era and a showcase for Mulliner craftsmanship today. The interior’s bespoke colour split is unique to the Olympia Collection, featuring Cumbrian Green as a secondary hide with a bespoke Coach Green main hide in a heritage-patinated finish. The fascia and waistrails are trimmed in black stained, open pore crown cut walnut veneer. Controls and dials feature diamond knurling, another long-standing Bentley hallmark.
The Bentley Rotating Display is part of the extensive specification and features design details on the clock, an individual number and dials and bezels that are inspired by the dials of the 1926 6 ½ Litre. Champagne Gold, seen on the exterior badging, pinstripe and wheels, also features on seat piping, gear lever and organ stops. The box stitching on the steering wheel, also in Champagne Gold, evokes the look of the 1920s rope-bound steering wheels.
In the rear, bespoke ski hatch embroidery pays tribute to W.O. Bentley’s Lyon to Dieppe journey in a prototype six-cylinder Bentley, which led to the development of the 6 ½ Litre. Blind embroidery in Cumbrian Green outlines the region, with the route itself picked out in Champagne Gold.
As a finishing touch the treadplates, finished in black, feature the ‘Olympia Collection by Mulliner’ motif, and all 12 Olympia Collection Continental GT models will be supplied with bespoke car covers in green with Champagne Gold motif, a Brooklands watch, commemorative handover box, and story of Olympia Collection book.
Exclusive to Olympia Collection, the handcrafted Brooklands watch creates a tangible connection to one of the circuits most closely associated with Bentley’s early performance heritage. Demonstrating the exceptional attention to detail that defines Mulliner, each watch is individually numbered to correspond with its matching vehicle and features a strap crafted from the same Coach Green hide used within the car’s interior.
The chapter ring graphic on the case back echoes the commemorative laser etching found on the Bentley Rotating Display, while the two interchangeable tachymeter bezels reference Brooklands’ Outer Circuit and Double Twelve Circuit for accurate mechanical timing.
From 1926 to 2026
The presence of the 6 ½ Litre at the Olympia Motor Show in 1926 saw Bentley claim its place at the apex of luxury. The 6 ½ offered Bentley 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 epitomised by W.O.’s Lyon to Dieppe spirited drive, can still be found in Crewe’s Dream Factory today – and in every vehicle the company makes, a century later.
