Bentley Motors Debuts A One-Off Commemorative Vehicle To Honor the Late Craig Sager
Craig Sager, the legendary late sportscaster, known beyond his great work for his vibrant and unique on-screen style, is being
Victoria Liotta
Craig Sager, the legendary late sportscaster, known beyond his great work for his vibrant and unique on-screen style, is being honored by Bentley Motors. This collaborative passion project with SagerStrong Foundation intends to translate Craig's lively spirit and uplifting energy into a one-off collectible worthy automobile as an effort to benefit blood cancer research.
“Our interpretation of “clothing” the Continental GT Speed Convertible in something Craig would have worn honors him and his vibrant, enduringly positive, and uplifting spirit. It’s our aspiration that further enhancing this car with the signatures of Craig’s family, both on and off the court, will create an iconic piece of rolling memorabilia: a lighthouse of hope for those that knew and loved Craig," stated Scott Reynolds, Retail Marketing Manager, Bentley Motors, Inc.
Until it goes up for auction bidding early next year, signatures of famous NBA stars including Steph Curry and Magic Johnson will be collected on the car.
A Heart Felt And Unique Design
Craig's last major appearance was at the ESPY's in 2016, giving a speech as he accepted the Jimmy V Foundation's 'Perseverance Award.' For more than a decade, Bentley has been a philanthropic sponsor and supporter of cancer research through the V Foundation. And, with the debut of this car, the luxury automobile maker is extending the same efforts toward fighting cancer with the SagerStrong Foundation.
So, in honor of that evening, Bentley chose to mirror his captivating look that paired with his speech so seamlessly. The Mulliner team was able to recreate the flower pattern he wore and set it on the Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertibles' iconic shape.
Craig's wife, Stacy Sager, who is the continued driving force behind the Foundation, worked with Bentley to bring her late husband's legacy to life in every sketch and stitch. She commented, "Craig had a deep-rooted passion for craftsmanship, it was reflected in the suits he had tailored and the cars he chose to drive. If he were here today, he would be driving the family around, top-down, smiling ear to ear in this perfect representation of his beautiful and powerful spirit.”
Designers took a mindful approach when creating this vehicle by blending Craig's impact on sports and his high-energy with the most beautiful and powerful grand tourers in the world. The press release writes, "Designed, handcrafted and engineered in Bentley’s carbon neutral luxury automotive factory, the new GT Speed Convertible offers enhanced chassis technology, including All-Wheel Steering, an electronic rear differential and the option of carbon ceramic brakes."
“Signed By Family On and Off The Court”
Up until auction time, signatures will be collected on the car from athletes as iconic as Craig's career.
The signature of Stacey Sager, President of the SagerStrong Foundation will of course be on the vehicle as well as four-time NBA Champion Steph Curry, Hall of Fame Inductee Magic Johnson, Hall of Fame member Dikembe Mutombo-, and Atlanta Falcons star Jamal Anderson, along with many others.
SagerStrong Foundation
The SagerStrong Foundation was founded in 2016 by Craig Sager, the former Hall of Fame and two-time Emmy Award Sports Reporter, along with his wife Stacy. The couple established it to fund and support blood cancer research and trials with the intent to simplify the lives of leukemia patients and their families. Since its beginning, the Foundation has raised over 2.4 million dollars to help fund research, including two clinical trials at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
To learn more about everything the Foundation has accomplished and is continuing to work towards, visit sagerstrongfoundation.org.