Bentley built a special version of its 626-horsepower Continental GT to take on an ice race in Austria, and it's stunning

Bentley

• Bentley built a specially modified version of its Continental GT coupe to compete in the GP Ice Race in Austria this weekend, an event revived in 2019 after a 45-year hiatus.
• The race car is largely stock, but has a custom exhaust system, studded tires, extra exterior lights, and a one-off ski rack.
• During the event, the Continental will tow a skier as part of an exhibition of a sport called skijoring. 
• Catie Munnings, the first woman to drive for Bentley Motorsport in modern times, will be behind the wheel of the special race build. 
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Most would find Bentleys to be better equipped for a cruise down Fifth Avenue than a rip around the race track, but not this one.

The Bentayga SUV, for example, offers pricey features like interior mood lighting and a leather-trimmed, diamond-quilted tailgate seat — for watching polo or dressage, presumably. The ultra-luxury brand's Continental GT starts at more than $200,000, and is, like many cars of its stature, likely to spend a lot of time in a garage.

But that reputation doesn't stop Bentley from heading out to race major motorsports events, or from building a stunning, specially modified Continental GT to compete at the GP Ice Race in Austria this weekend. The race, which began in 1937 and was revived in 2019 after a 45-year hiatus, takes place over two days and features various events on a 1,970-foot track carved from snow.

Classic cars, touring cars, and buggies all race in their respective classes, and the weekend features exhibition events like ice karting and skijoring — but more on that later. 

Scroll down to learn more about this purpose-built Bentley and what makes it unique. 

The specially built racer sports the same engine found in some production Continental GTs: a twin-turbocharged W12 that Bentley says winds out 626 horsepower and 664 foot-pounds of torque.

Bentley claims that the car can get from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds.

Bentley kept the Ice Race Continental GT mostly stock, but built in safety features like a roll cage, fire-suppression system, racing seats, and harnesses.

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