Bentley coming back to racing?

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Tim the Grey

Take all that leather trim out, that should help. Starting with the new Continental Supersport Coupe won't hurt either.
Seriously, it's 500KG more than an M3 in road trim.
Add Carbon, Perspex, and Titanium, take out 4 wheel drive, it shouldn't be THAT hard to match an M3 for weight. Then persuade the ACO to offer one or two waivers. I'd love to hear a W12 on open pipes....

Isn't there some limit of modification?

[MitchZ06]

Swap the engine for a destroked 6.75l V8 (down to 5.5l) and the rest is legal modification. AWD isn't allowed in GTE so it would go shedding weight, being a racer it doesn't need all that luxury interior fitting so strip the shell and that's even more weight lost, change all body panels that can be changed to carbon fibre, add perspex windows and then go hunting for weight savings and it should be possible to make weight. Get a waiver to use a transaxle and it'd be good to go weight distribution wise.

[Tim the Grey]

Ah, you've read the BMW racing handbook, then?
Seriously, M3 coupes have a Carbon Reinforced Plastic roof, FFS... No reason Bentley cannot do similar. Bonnets are commnly CRP in GT3, presumably boots and other bits too.

[MitchZ06]

I did leave out the good bits....

[TF110]

NFS Shift 2 has a peetty nice interpretation of a 'what if' for the Conti'. Works package turns any car to a race car, looks decent.

[Simmi]

Autosport ran a story on it today hinting at an LMP comeback. No new information or confirmation, just that they expect to be back racing within 5 years. Brian Gush quoted in the article admits he has no idea where they will race.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Autosport ran a story on it today hinting at an LMP comeback. No new information or confirmation, just that they expect to be back racing within 5 years. Brian Gush quoted in the article admits he has no idea where they will race.

Autosport is no better than forum speculation.
If Bentley was going to return, it would be on Audi or Porsches expense. I know this was also said about the Audi/Porsche rumors, but VAG is not going to let 3 marques run with full out budgets against each other!

[TF110]

Perhaps they can fund it themselves? I'm not certain, but isn't Bentley profitable enough?

[Mal]

I don't believe it will happen....... but running 3 marques in one championship using some common parts and infrastructure would still be cheaper than a full blown F1 project and just maybe they feel with enough manufacturers and promotion they can raise the profile enough to make the marketing side worth it.

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by Mal

I don't believe it will happen.......

I think it could happen. I still have my suspicions regarding Audi's long term plans in the top category.

[GT6]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

I think it could happen. I still have my suspicions regarding Audi's long term plans in the top category.

I can see you crossing your fingers and hoping that your beloved team make a prompt return, but i still think it unlikely unless the other VAG teams withdraw.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by CTD

Autosport is no better than forum speculation.
If Bentley was going to return, it would be on Audi or Porsches expense. I know this was also said about the Audi/Porsche rumors, but VAG is not going to let 3 marques run with full out budgets against each other!

There are quotes from two of the top people at Bentley, one favours LMP, the other GT.

The question of VAG having three LMP teams is raised, while any GT entry would be based on a new, lighter, road car.

[TF110]

Which is cheaper? I'd say the LMP's route. Developing a new car then racing variant would be no cheaper. Though it may make more sense.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by TF110

Which is cheaper? I'd say the LMP's route. Developing a new car then racing variant would be no cheaper. Though it may make more sense.

They wouldn't develop a new road car just to go racing, but if they are planning a new smaller GT car for the road then they may take it racing.

I think being the type of prestige brand it is, from a marketing and image perspective Bentley needs to be in the top class. I would not be surprised to see Bentley and Porsche in LMP and Audi going to GTE

[JAG]

If Audi weren't in LMP they'd go to F1, they already compete as a factory in production based racing with the DTM.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by JAG

If Audi weren't in LMP they'd go to F1, they already compete as a factory in production based racing with the DTM.

DTM has a very limited market and is little known outside Germany. You may be right about F1, but I think that is more likely with VW, but that doesn't rule out GTE in what may be a return to a more customer based operation

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Mal

They wouldn't develop a new road car just to go racing, but if they are planning a new smaller GT car for the road then they may take it racing.

I think being the type of prestige brand it is, from a marketing and image perspective Bentley needs to be in the top class. I would not be surprised to see Bentley and Porsche in LMP and Audi going to GTE

I didn't imply they'd make a road car just to race it. I said it'd be the more sensible route that you have a road car in the first place, then able to use that as a base for a GTE model.

[deggis]

Now old, but no one has linked it: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2011...#ixzz1XVpdYsJY

It includes the quotes from Gush & Durheimer.

If it comes at the expense of Audi, then I hope it doesn't happen.

[Mal]

It looks like a Dakar rally programme is favourite:

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/n...ally-campaign/

But it doesn't really fit with their brand image does it?

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Mal

It looks like a Dakar rally programme is favourite:

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/n...ally-campaign/

But it doesn't really fit with their brand image does it?

It doesn't, but if they do have a SUV in the pipelines, it could be a good thing to market!

H*ll, Lotus are going "rallying".

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Mal

But it doesn't really fit with their brand image does it?

Nor does the forthcoming SUV But they may do a Mini thing, i.e. come up with a car that annoys purists and then take it racing to sooth their pain so to speak.

Originally Posted by Tim the Grey

Take all that leather trim out, that should help. Starting with the new Continental Supersport Coupe won't hurt either.
Seriously, it's 500KG more than an M3 in road trim.
Add Carbon, Perspex, and Titanium, take out 4 wheel drive, it shouldn't be THAT hard to match an M3 for weight. Then persuade the ACO to offer one or two waivers. I'd love to hear a W12 on open pipes....

I'm sure I've read statements about adding a new greener and more economical V8 option to the Conti line up in the near future.

Originally Posted by CTD

H*ll, Lotus are going "rallying".

Among other things like... everything, actually.

[gucom]

wow... I think this article has been custom-written to have all of us here drooling!

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...llCars/259347/

“An LMP1 car would be a good way to go, but not the only possible way,” said Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer when asked about potential future race projects. “There is nothing saying the same brands can’t compete against each other – the only important thing is that the racing activity supports fully the brand identity.”

( )
Durhemier also hinted at possible race programmes, saying that he could see gaps in the market for Bentley to predominantly race in either the US, where it sells most road cars, or Asia, where its sales are growing at the fastest rate, and then compete on selected world championship events.

“The three brands of Bentley, Porsche and Audi could race in different regions and come together five or six times a year for the world sportscar championship and then once per year in France. It’s not decided, but it is possible,” he said.

[deggis]

"There is nothing saying the same brands can’t compete against each other", I guess we better believe that since Porsche kept saying the same and finally in June...

[Mal]

“The three brands of Bentley, Porsche and Audi could race in different regions and come together five or six times a year for the world sportscar championship and then once per year in France. It’s not decided, but it is possible,” he said.

Wow - if they do that they will almost single handedly prop up the entire spectrum of ACO racing - one presumes they would help with the promotion to go with it.

[Pandamasque]

I think it would make more sense if 2 of 3 brands went ALMS+LeMans24 while the 3rd brand did WEC+LeMans24. There will be enough competition in WEC, while in ALMS they might end up dominating a-la Acura 2009, which didn't attract many fans, I think.