Bentley Continental GT3: In Full Force
IN FULL FORCE
BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT3
Words by Alessandro Marrone
Photos by Giorgia Rossi
19 May 2018. The livery of the new and eagerly awaited Bentley Continental GT3 has been unveiled to us in Milan during a press conference in which the drivers taking part in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance championship were able to reveal their first impressions built during the tests and above all comparing – where possible – this new model to the previous one. Just a few hours before the start of the first round at Monza, Guy Smith, Maxime Soulet and Vincent Abril explained how one of the main upgrades of the new GT3 is a further reduction in weight, but in particular the perfect balance of the masses, now 50/50 between front and rear, aspect that for a GT racer with the engine located at front is essential for a better drivability.
The Continental GT3 which is based on the voluptuous curves of the new Continental GT – also on display at the Bentley Milan showroom – is powered by a 4-liter twin-turbo V8 that outputs something like 550 horses (unrestricted). The weight stops at just 1.275kg (about 900kg less than the road legal model), also because it only keeps the “shell” of the beautiful English coupe, while the luxurious interior is a distant memory. Not a bad thing though, since everything is aimed at the pursuit of maximum performance and downforce, such as the huge front splitter, the numerous air intakes or the mammoth spoiler hanging from the tail and overlooking an equally titanic air diffuser. The five rounds of the championship have now begun and the Bentley team that has created this masterpiece together with M-Sport is ready to rumble and continue on its path that until now has brought 45 wins and 120 podiums out of 528 races.
Fire in the hole.