Since the world debut of Bentley's GT3 Concept Racer at the Paris Auto Salon in September 2012, a dedicated team of engineers have been working day and night in preparation for the iconic marque's return to the race track.
Over the past six months Bentley, along with technical partner M-Sport Ltd,, has worked to ensure that the 4.0-litre twin turbo V8-powered GT3 can follow in the footsteps of the likes of the Bentley 'Blower', the car made famous by the 'Bentley Boys' of the 1920s.
Leading the project is Brian Gush, Bentley's Director of Motorsport, who took the company to victory at Le Mans in 2003. He comments: "Motorsport is an integral part of Bentley, and the performance and endurance qualities of all of our road cars reflect this racing heritage. 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."
Some of the work carried out includes mating the race-configured V8 to a six-speed sequential racing gearbox, developing double wishbone suspension, four-way adjustable dampers and competition brakes for the GT3. More than 1,000kg of weight has been saved by stripping out luxurious accoutrements such as double glazing and extensive electrical systems. Even the doors have been swapped out for race versions that weigh just 12 per cent of the road car's.
While the iconic silhouette of the regular car is retained, as the main body shell is almost a direct carryover, the doors, boot lid and bonnet are now hand-crafted in carbon fibre. The body shell itself benefits from a comprehensive FIA-specification roll cage, more than doubling its stiffness. Meanwhile, the carbon fibre racing seat has been trimmed by the craftsmen and women of the Crewe factory, who have also meticulously stitched the racing steering wheel and door pulls, just as they would on a Continental GT road car.
The Continental GT3 will soon be ready to begin a test programme ahead of its race debut. More details and specification of the Continental GT3 will be released soon.
Paul Healy - 12 Jun 2013
