Bentley Motorsport has revealed the next generation Bentley Continental GT3. The brand new car, still under development, will see its first race in at Monza for the opening round of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup.

The new car, designed in conjunction with technical partners M-Sport, is based on the all-new Bentley Continental GT road car. The race car utilises the aluminium chassis, lowering the weight below 1300kg and improving weight distribution.

The engine is an evolution of the previous generation magnificent 4.0L twin-turbo V8 that we’ve all fallen in love with. Before restrictions, the engine outputs over 550 bhp.

The most obvious change is the exterior. Clearly the car has spent a significant amount of time in the wind tunnel and the result is obvious – the car is draped in new aerodynamic parts.

The car is currently undergoing a six month testing program throughout Europe, including full 24 hour endurance simulations. The first event will be the opening round of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup at Monza, and the car will compete in the hands of Bentley M-Sport for the remainder of the Blancpain GT Series and Intercontinental GT Challenge. Customers sales start in June 2018.

theRacingLine Comment

We knew that Bentley were working on a new Continental GT3, and you can always estimate what the car will look like based on the next generation of road car. What we didn’t expect was the new car to be quite this aggressive. The Bentley has always had presence on the track – it’s a bit like a Cathedral, powered by Thor.

The new car goes beyond this and seems to looks to have taken some inspiration from fellow VAG brand, Lamborghini. The new intakes in front of the rear wheels are reminiscent of the Murcielago and Huracán. The sharp lines and neon pin stripes are a move from the classy British Racing Green.

Bentley have also clearly been aggressive in development. The new car has clearly spent a lot of time in wind tunnels and has undergone even more development than the previous generation Continental GT3.

The nicest detail is the turning vanes on the front corners. They are similar to those seen on long distance lorries (trucks to those outside of the UK). On lorries these vanes reduce dirt build and noise in the cabin, as well as lower fuel consumption through reduced drag. Some estimate up to a 1% fuel saving for vehicles fitted with the turning vanes. Bentley have incorporated this into the aggressive styling with a sharp downward point, similar to a sharks tooth.

Another announcement that came with the car is the Intercontinental GT Challenge entry. Bentley tend to run the Bathurst 12 Hours and Spa 24, but participation has usually ended there. For 2018 Bentley is committing to the full 4 race calendar, although the first round at Bathurst will be with previous generation Continental GT3s.

Gallery

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

 

Full Press Release Below

9th 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.

Engineering student, lover of all things technical and lifelong motorsport fan. Employed in the Oil & Gas Industry, developing Major Emergency Management simulations. Owner of the best beard on the site.