Fat Mankei

From ice to altitude

Winter beginnings

The FAT formula

Head for heights

If you've been following Bentley's collaborations with FAT International this year, you may be left wondering, what do you do in the middle of the European summer? The partnership began at the FAT Ice Race in Zell am See, Austria, back in January, where Bentley unveiled the Bentayga X Concept. That was followed by the FAT Ice Race at Big Sky, Montana, in February, which saw the Supersports being drifted on a frozen lake by Lia Block, racing driver and daughter of Ken Block. Both events were a huge hit – but what happens when the ice melts?

The answer is: you head for the mountains. FAT International has grown far beyond its origins as the organiser of the revived Zell am See ice race. In the few years since it was founded, FAT International has become one of the most distinctive forces in contemporary car culture. Taking its name from a now-defunct trucking company called “Francais Allemand Transit” – which bizarrely sponsored Le Mans cars in the 1990s – the modern day FAT has been reborn by Ferdi Porsche, great-grandson of Porsche founder Ferdinand. Today, FAT combines racing with design, hospitality and events… but it’s also built a high-altitude restaurant.

So, for the third Bentley x FAT activation of 2026, the partnership relocated to FAT Mankei, an alpine hut perched high on Austria's famous Grossglockner pass. Named after the local word for marmot, the mountain-dwelling chipmunk, Mankei is a modern refuge, designed in part by Ferdi himself (he trained as an architect) that acts a summit destination for drivers. Bentley’s take-over of this clubhouse amongst the peaks was a sky-high Cars and Coffee event. Owners, enthusiasts and passing travellers were all invited to take part.

The road to Mankei

Mountain playground

Summit arrival

Snow in June

Of course, a huge part of FAT Mankei's appeal is the road itself. Located about two hours south of Salzburg in the Austrian alps, the Grossglockner Pass is one of Europe's great driving destinations. Driving south, it climbs for around 10 miles (16km) from the toll station while gaining nearly 1400 metres in altitude. It’s an incredible ribbon of asphalt with spell-binding views – the only problem for drivers is needing stop every 200 metres to take pictures.

At the top sits FAT Mankei, looking out across the mountains beside a small reservoir called Fuscher Lacke. The building blends rustic alpine rest-stop and cool urban cafe, with a modern pavilion in steel and glass alongside. The parking area is little more than a widening of the road on both sides, allowing visitors to simply pull up and stay a while.

The Bentley event nearly became an ice race after all. The day before, a cold northerly wind swept into the Alps, bringing snow to the higher elevations. The Grossglockner was restricted to vehicles fitted with winter tyres and the transport lorry – carrying precious cargo all the way from the Bentley factory in Crewe, England – needed special permission to crawl to the top and unload. Watching Bentley's 2003 Le Mans-winning Speed 8 being carefully pushed back into the slush was worth the long journey.

High altitude Bentley

Rarified air

Cars and coffee

Open house

Thankfully, the following morning dawned bright and clear. The snow rapidly retreated, the road opened and visitors began climbing towards Mankei. Waiting for them at the top was an extraordinary collection of machines: alongside the Speed 8 sat the Bentayga X Concept and, for the first time, all three of Bentley's Pikes Peak challengers: the 2018 Bentayga, the 2019 record-breaking Continental GT and the outrageous, 1000bhp Continental GT3, driven in 2021 by Pikes Peak legend Rhys Millen.

What made the event memorable wasn't simply the Bentleys on display, but the vibe. The line-up of competition cars was joined by the bright pink Joe & The Juice Bentayga, which served fresh espresso. Music drifted across the terrace, deckchairs filled with guests and conversations flowed as freely as the coffee. Although hosted by Bentley, the event was deliberately open to the wider car community that makes the pilgrimage up the Grossglockner every summer. Throughout the day, a steady stream of customers in Continentals, Flying Spurs and Bentaygas arrived, alongside an equally impressive collection of Porsche 911s, ranging from air-cooled classics to the latest GT3s.

And it wasn’t just car enthusiasts who stopped by. Motorbike riders stopped for coffee, while cyclists who had conquered the climb paused to inspect the cars. Everyone seemed startled to find such an unlikely grid on top of a mountain. Mankei’s restaurant remained busy all day with visitors relaxing on the terrace in the afternoon sun. Away from the main building, the glass pavilion that projects dramatically over the mountainside housed the new Supersports, drawing a constant crowd of admirers. By late afternoon, it felt less like a customer event and more like a gathering of friends – brought together by great cars, great roads and mountain air.

Into Thin Air