Check Out This Wild Bentley Continental GT Ice Racer

Bentley has revealed an entry to this year’s GP Ice Race in the shape of a specially modified Continental GT.

The leather-splashed super-GT packs the standard 626bhp, 664lb ft W12, making it good for a 207mph top speed on a dry Autobahn. It has been modified in a few key ways, though, with a slight ride height increase, a 15mm wider track and accompanying wider arches, studded tyres from Pirelli, an array of Lazer light bars and an Akrapovic exhaust that’s best described as beautifully undignified.

Naturally it also has racing seats, a roll cage, racing harnesses and a fire extinguisher. There’s also a decent driver to pilot it: Catie Munnings, winner of the FIA European Rally Championship Ladies Trophy and former host of CBeebies show Catie’s Amazing Machines. Speaking about the left-field competition, which was revived last year, she said:

“The opportunity to race with Bentley at Zell am See is one that I couldn’t miss. I’m completely blown away by the car, and I actually still can’t believe I’m getting let loose in a Bentley to do an ice race. I spent some time on ice in the car just before Christmas.

“At first I thought it would feel heavy, but I was amazed by how dynamic, nimble and responsive it is. It can dance like a lightweight rally car, and I can’t wait to race it at such an iconic event.”

The ice-based event in Zell am See, Austria, comprises two days of motorsport in “unpredictable” conditions, both on a 600m track carved into an ice field and with an exhibition of ‘skijoring,’ an archaic competition involving a skier being towed by a vehicle (originally a riderless horse at its 1928 origin).