A Bentley Continental GT once owned by Manchester United footballer Cristiano Ronaldo will be auctioned next month.
The Continental GT Speed goes under the hammer at the 2021 NEC Classic Motor Show sale, run by Silverstone Auctions.
It’s your chance to purchase a car owned by a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, and all-time top international goalscorer.
On top of the world
The Bentley Continental GT enjoys something of a cliched relationship with footballers. However, a combination of pace, luxury and all-round usability make its appeal easy to understand.
Ronaldo purchased the GT Speed during his first stint playing for Manchester United. The 2008 to 2009 season saw him score his 100th goal for the team, helping them to claim the Premier League trophy.
Such success, both domestically and in the 2008 World Cup, led to him being crowned the 2008 World Player of the Year.
We can only speculate whether the Bentley, which was delivered to the Portuguese forward in September that same year, helped inspire him on the pitch.
More bling, more power
Ronaldo opted for subtle Sapphire Blue exterior paintwork for his Bentley. This is complemented by a Magnolia leather interior, with dark wood trim on the dashboard, plus drilled alloy pedals.
Exterior changes for the Speed model included a new chrome grille and wider exhaust tailpipes.
However, the star of the Speed show was the upgraded twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine.
Back of the net!
Bentley did not simply up the boost from the turbochargers to gain extra performance. Upgraded cooling, new pistons, an improved exhaust system and a reprogrammed ECU were all added.
This pushed engine output from 552hp to 600hp, and boosted torque from 479lb ft to a thumping 553lb ft – enough to cut the 0-62mph time to 4.3 seconds.
Tipping the scales at 2,350kg, the GT Speed was certainly not a lightweight. A Premier League footballer’s salary would help with its running costs, too.
Second chance at success?
Following Cristiano’s ownership, the car continued to have a Bentley main dealership service history until 2016. It was then placed into storage by the late vendor.
With Ronaldo now playing for Manchester United once again, he could perhaps be tempted to buy back his old car.
Should he so choose, he’ll need to be at the NEC on Saturday 13 November, ready to bid.
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