Although the British car manufacturer Bentley focuses on the production of luxury cars, it also has a rich history on racing circuits. The newest addition to the circuit specials family is the Continental GT3 model.
The Bentley Continental GT3 concept was already presented at the Paris Motor Show, while the final version was presented at the just concluded Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Le Mans series champion, Guy Smith, took up his seat behind the wheel and made two trips a day with the car.
The GT3 version differs from the road-going Continental GT in one major way, and that is weight. While the road model is a luxury car with a weight significantly exceeding two tons, the racing special has significantly lost weight to less than 1,300 kg. The low weight was achieved by removing all the luxury equipment.
The special vehicle is powered by a V8 with a volume of 4.0 liters and an output of around 600 horsepower. The engine has been moved towards the rear, closer to the cabin, and its management is handled by a Cosworth unit. Power flows to the rear wheels via a racing clutch and Xtrac six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shifters under the steering wheel. The car also has a limited slip differential.
The 18-inch OZ Racing wheels hide ventilated steel brake discs. Better braking is aided by the race-spec ABS system and traction control. In the event of an accident, the driver is to be protected by the FIA specification steel safety cage.
The Bentley Continental GT3 will join circuit races in 2014, participating in the FIA Blancpain Series. We wish the car and its drivers much success in advance.
Source: Bentley
