What's the news?
Bentley is going to attempt to break the outright production car record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with a Continental GT later this month.
Aiming to beat a time of 10 minutes 26.9 seconds up the side of the Coloradan mountain, the Conti GT will hope to emulate the efforts of the Bentayga - which last year charged up Pikes Peak in 10 minutes 49.9 seconds, making it the fastest production SUV on the hill climb by almost two minutes, at an average speed of 107km/h.
Brian Gush, Bentley's director of motorsport, said: "We have taken much learning from our successful visit to Pikes Peak last year with the Bentley Bentayga and applied it to our preparations this time around. We are proud to demonstrate the Continental GT's breadth of abilities in competition on a global stage.
"The extreme conditions of Pikes Peak pose a significant challenge. With the start line being at 9,300ft and climbing to 14,100ft, the air is one-third less dense than at sea level. The weather will also play a vital role in the run, as 90-degree temperatures and clear skies can change to snow in a matter of minutes. The lack of oxygen will also impact driver Rhys Millen, who will have an on-board oxygen system fed into his helmet to reduce any effect of altitude sickness."
Millen is a former 'King of the Mountain' Pikes Peak veteran and he said of his impending run in the Continental GT: "In the Pikes Peak environment, it [Continental GT] really checks every box as the most competitive vehicle you could arm yourself. This is one run, one day of the year. You have to be calm, be focused and process everything that you have to."
Anything else?
The Bentley Continental GT will take on the hill climb on June 30. You can find out more about the event as a whole at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb website.