It’s been around eight months since the all-new Bentley Continental GT Convertible made its long-awaited debut. Enough time has passed for all of us to absorb what Bentley’s 626-horsepower, roofless, sporty grand tourer is all about. Enough time has also passed for Bentley to drop the first special edition model for the new Continental GT Convertible. And wouldn’t you know it, this special edition Continental GT Convertible is called…the Number 1 Edition. Lack of naming creativity notwithstanding, there is a reason why this special edition Continental GT Convertible is called the Number 1 Edition. As I mentioned, it’s the first SE variant of the all-new Continental GT Convertible. More than that, it pays tribute to a particular old-school Bentley race car: the legendary 1929 Bentley Number 1 Blower. Forget what I said, then, about this special edition’s nomenclature. Clearly, it means a lot more to Bentley than just a random number.

What Makes the Bentley Continental GT Convertible Number 1 Edition special?

There aren’t that many automakers in the world with the special edition prowess of Bentley. When the British luxury car maker creates a special edition model, you know it’s one for the books. Throw in the involvement of Mulliner, Bentley’s own customization division, and the possibilities become endless. The new Bentley Continental GT Convertible Number 1 Edition is a good example of that. This is a special edition model in the truest sense of the phrase. The Number 1 Blower also became the most expensive British-build car in 2012 after it was sold for £5,042,000 during Bonham’s auction at the Goodwood Festival of Speed of that year.

So, let’s start off with the body, which looks sexy in it of itself as all Continental GT Convertibles are. The Number 1 Edition, though, isn’t your typical Continental GT Convertible. You won’t find other models of its ilk sporting a Dragon Red II paint finish that looks about as rich in red as a woman’s lipstick. If the Dragon Red II shade is too flashy for your sensibilities, you can opt for a Beluga Black paint finish that offers a sleeker and classier look. Conversely, the Beluga Black Continental GT Number 1 Edition comes with a Claret Red fabric roof. Either way, both color versions look stunning and in line with what you’d expect from an automaker of Bentley’s class.

There are other exclusive touches in the exterior of the special edition Continental GT Convertible, including a Black Line Specification package that adds a smattering of black trim elements throughout the convertible’s body. Some of the elements are hard to spot, but you can expect to see them in the door handles, radiator surround, headlamp and rear lamp surround, tailpipe finishers, side window surrounds, wing vents, and the number plate surround. You’ll recognize them because they’re black and shiny. Likewise, Bentley also equipped the SE Continental GT Convertible with its own carbon body kit and the all-too exclusive Bentley Centenary Specification Pack. The latter comes with Centenary badges that you can find on the wheel centers and rear section of the SE Continental GT Convertible. We’ve seen Bentley use this styling before, specifically on the Continental GT Number 9 Edition that also paid tribute to a classic Bentley from yesteryear, the No. 9 Blower. This exclusive nod to the classic Number 1 Blower is complemented by an 18-carat gold plated fender badge, as well as jeweled filler and oil caps because why not? A set of 22-inch MDS wheels that come in either Cricket Ball or Gloss Black round out the exclusive touches in the exterior of the Continental GT Convertible Number 1 Edition.

Step inside the special edition Bentley, and you might as well drown in all the exclusivity offered by Bentley and, by extension, Mulliner. Heritage hide on the seats and door pads act as complementary pieces, though, let’s be serious, they’re highlight materials in their own right. Even the headrests and door inserts get in on the fun as each one comes with a debossed “B” insignia. The steering wheel and gear lever are heartily covered in premium Alcantara while the dashboard — my Lord, look at that dashboard — is dressed to the nines in a Grand Black wood veneer that’s further enhanced by 18-carat gold plated organ stops. In keeping with the all-around ridiculousness of the special edition Continental GT Convertible Number 1 Edition’s interior, the aforementioned Bentley Centenary Specification pack also makes an appearance in the cabin. The Centenary LED welcome lamps, Centenary badging on the gear lever and steering wheel, and the Centenary badge on the key-fob are all part of the package.

The spinner itself is set in resin, and it’s reminiscent of the wheel spinners found on the Number 1 Blower, as well as other historic Bentleys of yore. You’ll remember that the Continental GT Number 9 Edition came with a similar historical piece in its own interior: a turned aluminum Engine Spin finish from the original Number 9 Blower located on the special edition Continental GT’s center console.

Bentley Continental GT specifications

There are no upgrades made to the Continental GT Convertible’s engine, though, at this point, it does seem a little excessive if Bentley and Mulliner threw in some goodies in that are of the car. It’s not like the Continental GT Convertible is aimlessly grasping for power. It’s powered by the automaker’s highly touted 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W-12 engine that produces a menacing 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. All that power travels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, which, in turn, sends all of it to the car’s four wheels. In full bloom, the Continental GT Convertible Number 1 Edition can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds before maxing out at a top speed of 207 mph. For a car that weighs in excess of 5,000 pounds — 5,322 pounds, to be exact — the Continental GT Convertible Number 1 Edition is a heavyweight bullet.

Bentley hasn’t priced the special edition model yet, but you can be sure that it’s going to fetch way more than the $236,000 price tag of the Continental GT Convertible.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Bentley Continental GT Convertible.

Read our full review on the 2018 Bentley Continental GT.