RM Auctions’ Monterey: Bentley Speed 8

Brutally fast, astonishingly beautiful and incredibly rare, this 2001 Bentley Speed 8 is one of the stunning machines heading to auction at RM Auctions’ upcoming Monterey sale.

This 670 horsepower, 3.6-litre twin-turbocharged V8 was the very first of the Bentley Speed 8s built to compete in LMP GTP class at Le Mans and revive Bentley’s racing heritage.

And it did marvelously, finishing third in the 2001 24 Hours of Le Mans and becoming the first Team Bentley car to reach the Le Mans podium since Woolf Barnato, Glen Kidstonthe and their Bentley Speed 6 won the 1930 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Speed 8s would continue their strong performances at Le Mans, finishing fourth behind the ever-dominant Audis in 2002 and taking the top two spots in 2003 for their first Le Mans victory since 1930.

Last raced at Road America in 2007, it’s fully prepared and ready to go racing again.

RM are estimating that it’ll go for between $1,900,000 and $2,500,000 US.

It’ll go up for auction at RM Auctions’ Monterey sale, which is going to be held at the Portola Hotel & Spa and Monterey Conference Center over the 17th and 18th of August, 2012, coinciding with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Head to their website here for more info.

Via RM Auctions

Photos by Darin Schnabel, courtesy of RM Auctions