‘One of a kind’ Continental GTC marks 80 years of Bentley car production in Crewe
Bentley has unveiled a unique Continental GTC to mark 80 years of car production at its Dream Factory in Crewe.
The Continental GTC, finished in a bespoke Purple Supernova Ombre colour, is complemented by a bespoke '80' side graphic with a reverse ombre effect. More mentions of the anniversary are seen inside, where ‘80’ is embroidered on the headrests, while a bespoke airbrushed fascia graphic depicts the iconic Design Studio building alongside a celebration of eight decades of Bentley car manufacture in Crewe.
The one-off model will also be joined by a vast display of 107 Bentleys from the Bentley Drivers Club, featuring vehicles from over a century of the British brand’s heritage.
The display ranges from an EXP3 model, the first Bentley ever delivered to a customer and culminates with a 2025 Flying Spur Speed.
1946 - 2026: Bentley in Crewe
The factory in Pyms Lane was built on the potato fields of Merrill's Farm in 1938 and was originally used to manufacture Rolls-Royce Merlin aero engines during World War II, with 26,065 engines built between 1938 and 1946. At the peak of production in 1943, the factory employed 10,000 people.
Rolls-Royce — which had bought Bentley in 1931 — then moved its motor operations to the Pyms Lane site and the first vehicle to roll off the production line in 1946 was a Mark VI. Prior to operations in Crewe, previous Bentley production had taken place in Marylebone, Cricklewood and Derby.
Bentley navigated the post-war period producing the R-Type Continental grand tourer, V8-powered S Series luxury saloons and Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow inspired T Series models until 1980.
The ‘modern’ era of Bentley cars began with the Turbo R performance saloon in 1985. Attention then turned to the Continental R & T two-door grand tourers, while other models like the Arnage and Azure were produced until the flagship Mulsanne caused a storm in 2010.
Another significant moment in Bentley’s history came in 2015 with the production and release of Bentley’s first-ever SUV, the Bentayga. The Bentayga, along with the Flying Spur, Continental GT and Continental GTC are all currently made in Crewe.
Throughout its 80 years at Crewe, Bentley has built over 197,000 cars and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Bentley brings Crewe into the modern era
While the location remains the same, things are changing at Crewe with the campus nearing the completion of its new next-generation Dream Factory. The ‘digital, flexible and innovative’ manufacturing facility will produce the Bentleys of the future, as the automotive world continues to evolve.
The new Dream Factory is set to join other recently renovated facilities including the Design Studio, Engineering Technical Centre, Excellence Centre for Quality and Launch, Integrated Logistics Centre and the Paint Shop, which was officially opened by The Princess Royal in early July.
words: Mike Booth
pictures: Bentley