Bentley might not be a synonymous name that you could relate to motorsports today, but they might soon be with the new details released about their Continental GT3 race car. Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show as a concept last year, this GT3 variant of course has very little in common with the Continental that we see on the streets.
For starters, the car has been put through a serious weight loss regime, shedding off almost 1,000kg from its curb weight. The doors for example only weigh 12-percent from what the stock version does, and Bentley has taken out over 50 ECU and electrical system to keep the car as light as possible.
Powering this new GT3 racer is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 power plant mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox. And while they had yet to share the power output, it will probably be more than enough to push the Continental GT3 to serious speeds. It is also fitted with double wishbone suspension, four-way adjustable dampers, competition brakes and a stiffer chassis, thanks to the FIA-spec roll cage.
“Motorsport is an integral part of Bentley, and the performance and endurance qualities of all our road cars reflect this racing heritage,” said Brian Gush, Bentley’s Director of Motorsport and also the head of the project. Back in 2003, he took the brand to victory in Le Mans, and is confidence that its partnership with M-Sport Ltd. will put Bentley back into the motorsports scene.
“Not one single part of the GT3 has escaped our attention, and the result is a car that can compete with the field in terms of factors such as power, weight and aerodynamics,” he added.
