BENTLEY REVEALS NEW CONTINENTAL GT3 RACE CAR

• New Continental GT3 racecar based on all-new Continental GT road car

• Bentley Motorsport aims for Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup titles

• New entry into Intercontinental GT Challenge

• All-new GT3 car starts comprehensive development programme

• Customer sales start June 2018

9^th November 2017, Crewe – Bentley Motorsport is today unveiling an all-new Continental GT3 racecar, currently in development for the 2018 motorsport season.

The second-generation Continental GT3 is the latest dedicated racecar in an acclaimed Bentley motorsport lineage that includes the 4½ Litre, Speed Six and Speed 8 Le Mans winners. The first-generation Continental GT3 has proven to be a championship-winning endurance racer, scoring 120 podiums and 45 wins across 528 races around the world to date.

Bentley’s Director of Motorsport, Brian Gush comments:

“After four years of success with our Continental GT3, we’re excited to reveal our second-generation car. The new car leaves no area or system untouched in the search for even better performance, and the early test results are promising. The new Continental GT road car has proved to be a great starting point for the development of a new racer, and the engineering development work is true to Bentley’s impeccable standards.”

The New Continental GT3

Development of the new car has been led by the engineers of Bentley Motorsport’s in-house team based in Crewe, together with designers and technicians at Bentley’s motorsport technical partner, M-Sport.

The new Continental GT3 has been designed from the all-new Continental GT road car, utilising it’s mostly aluminium structure as the foundation to deliver a race-ready weight of significantly less than 1300 kg and helping to deliver an ideal weight distribution for racing.

The engine is a new development of the renowned and race-proven 4.0-litre Bentley twin-turbo V8, with a totally redesigned dry sump system and all-new intake and exhaust systems. Unrestricted power is in excess of 550 bhp.

Exterior aerodynamic surfaces have been crafted in the wind tunnel and are based on the shape of the road car, enhancing the muscular exterior panels with aerodynamic devices for additional downforce. Suspension and braking systems are new and bespoke to the Continental GT3.

The all-new racecar has already started a six-month test programme to pick up the mantle from its championship-winning predecessor, completing test work in the UK, France and Portugal. Upcoming development work includes full 24 hour endurance race simulations.

Bentley Motorsport 2018

Bentley Motorsport is also announcing its plans for the 2018 season, after 2017 proved to be the most successful season for the team, capturing the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup. Bentley Motorsport will run a pair of new Continental GT3 racers across Europe in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup again next year, and also compete around the world in the four-round Intercontinental GT Challenge.

The new Continental GT3 will make its race debut at the opening round of the 2018 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup at Monza. Updates from the development programme of the new racer, and confirmation of the 2018 driver line-up, will be issued by Bentley Motorsport in due course.

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Notes to editors

• Bentley Motorsport is based at the Bentley Motors headquarters in Crewe. From there, the operation runs Bentley Team M-Sport, and oversees customer racing operations around the world.

• The Continental GT3 is built by the Bentley motorsport team in conjunction with M-Sport. The Bentley GT3 team is led by Bentley Director of Motorsport, Brian Gush supported by M-Sport’s Chief Engineer, Christian Loriaux.

• 	New Continental GT3 Specifications
  Engine	4.0-litre direct injection twin-turbo V8, Cosworth engine management system
  Power	Approx. 550 bhp derestricted
  Oil System	Dry sump
  Transmission	Rear wheel drive, Ricardo six-speed sequential transaxle gearbox, AP racing clutch, steering wheel mounted paddle-operated pneumatic gear shift
  Drivetrain	Carbon fibre propshaft, limited slip differential
  Suspension	Double wishbone suspension front and rear, four-way adjustable racing dampers
  Steering	Electric power-assisted steering
  Brakes	Alcon ventilated iron disc brakes front and rear, Alcon six-piston front calipers, four-piston rear calipers, driver-adjustable brake bias
  Safety	FIA-specification steel roll cage, six-point FIA safety harness, onboard fire extinguisher, onboard pneumatic jack system
  Fuel System	FIA-specification racing fuel cell
  Electronics	Race-specification Bosch ABS and traction control. Lightweight race battery.
  Wheels	BBS Motorsport 18” x 13” rims
  Tyres	355 / 705 R18
  Aerodynamics	Carbon fibre front splitter, rear wing and body panels. Lightweight, aerodynamically-optimised bumpers, bonnet, sills and fenders
  Length	4860 mm
  Width	2045 mm
  Height	1355 mm
  Weight	<1300 kg