Bentley coming back to racing?

[urdragon]

The manufacture of a GTE car involves a full factory support, that's why a GT3 is easier.

[Tim the Grey]

On th esubject of weight? I visited the Karmann plant many moons ago, where the Escort Cosworth's were built. They had a 'special' batch of shells going down the line, for Motorsport use. They were VERY flimsy. The roll cage was also the chassis... The panels just had to look right, they had little or no structural effect!
Is this OK in GT3?
I look at the Aston GT3s, and how much carbon they add, and how much steel they take out, as an example.

[MagVanisher]

Originally Posted by gustavobamba

This should be their race car :-)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FoXyvaPSnV...Concept-17.JPG

and

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FoXyvaPSnV...Concept-12.JPG


Bentley Silver Wings GT3

I hope they would create a roadcar version of that race car...

[courageous]

Well, Bentley make their motorsport comeback (sort of)

http://www.wrc.com/news/meeke-makes-...ley/?fid=17505

[GTfour]

All very good news ! But I'm wondering, If they'll go racing, they'll want to get back to Le Mans, won't they? And they'll most likely won't do that with a GT3...

[Simmi]

Shame with Jag now looking to make GT3/GT4 cars. There's a bit of money to be made it seems. Wish they'd come to Le Mans for the prestige.

[TF110]

Surprised no one noticed this-

http://www.gtspirit.com/2012/09/26/l...ntinental-gt3/

The GT3 receives a substantial diet, shedding weight all the way down to 1,250 kg. Stripped of all it’s luxury, Bentley gutted the interior, added a roll cage, a set of racing seats and an awesome new bodykit!

[gwyllion]

It has not gone unnoticed. See http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...92#post3142092

[TF110]

Why so specific? It wasn't in this thread, which is what I meant.

[urdragon]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

It has not gone unnoticed. See http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...92#post3142092

Nobody noticed the 1250 kg data, even the fact 1250 its quite light for that enormous shell.

[TF110]

Yeah, that's why I bolded that part. Plus I posted it here because this is the Bentley thread

[Simmi]

So hopefully Bentley can make some money out of selling these. Happy they are back, happy they are seemingly doing this properly (in-house) but unhappy they can't race at Le Mans in this current guise. Surely that is where the prestige lies, not in Blancpain.

[Simmi]

Given that he's been retweeting anything and everything Bentley PR place on twitter for months now I'd say Guy Smith should be front of the queue to drive the new car.

https://twitter.com/BentleyMotorsPR/.../photo/1/large

Maybe now he's posting a bit on the forum he could give us an exclusive ?

[CTD]

Is the GT3 car the big news that MWM brought?

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by CTD

Is the GT3 car the big news that MWM brought?

Yeah. As I said in the GT3 thread I was hoping for something a bit bigger from MWM to be honest, given they moved forward the start of the show. Autosport have been mentioning this for months.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Yeah. As I said in the GT3 thread I was hoping for something a bit bigger from MWM to be honest, given they moved forward the start of the show. Autosport have been mentioning this for months.

Me too.
I had unfortunatly no chance of listening to MWM, so I must honestly i'm both disappointed and relieved of this news.
Disappointed as I, like you, had hoped for bigger news, especially concerning Le Mans related matter.
And relieved that it wasn't that DP's will come to Le Mans.

But this is Off Topic, please carry on with the Bentley topic

[gwyllion]

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3G_MdW-kt0
pictures: http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bentl...ris-2012/full/

The debut is planned only at the end of 2013

[chernaudi]

Any word on engine specs? I know that GT3 has become a "run what you brung" type formula though performance balancing, but what engine is the Bentley GT3 supposed to use? I can't find any info in the press release, but I'd almost have to say that it would have to be the Audi V8 in some form--I can't imagine that Bentley would run the W12 in a racing car, as it's heavy and, because of the crank design, can't be revved like a racing engine should, even if it's turbocharged.

[GT3.14]

Originally Posted by CTD

Me too.
I had unfortunatly no chance of listening to MWM, so I must honestly i'm both disappointed and relieved of this news.

It wasn't really that memorable of an episode to be honest.

[GT3.14]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Any word on engine specs? I know that GT3 has become a "run what you brung" type formula though performance balancing, but what engine is the Bentley GT3 supposed to use? I can't find any info in the press release, but I'd almost have to say that it would have to be the Audi V8 in some form--I can't imagine that Bentley would run the W12 in a racing car, as it's heavy and, because of the crank design, can't be revved like a racing engine should, even if it's turbocharged.

They make a Conti with a TT V8 now. http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/5...tal-GT-V8.html

[gwyllion]

No. The press release says that the car is based on the new Continental GT Speed. That means that they are using the 6.0 W12 turbo engine.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

No. The press release says that the car is based on the new Continental GT Speed. That means that they are using the 6.0 W12 turbo engine.

Doesn't GT3 allow any engine within the manufacturer's portfolio? Wouldn't be much different than the V8 in a Z4 right?

[chernaudi]

The problem with the W12 engine is it's crankpin design. The crank pins require fairly narrow connecting rods from what I've heard, which means that it's OK in a relatively low revving road engine, but not well suited for a racing engine. So unless Bentley/Audi did a redesign for the crankshaft or the rods, I'd almost have to say that it's running a turbocharged Audi V8 like the base Continental now does, because the V8's more suitable for racing. Of course, the little bit of engine note in the video didn't sound like the W12, nor the TC V8 (the road going Audi V8s, NA or forced induction, all use crossplane cranks)--it sounded like a flatcrank V8, almost like the Audi R8 LMP900 car.

Besides, both engines are part of the Continental range, and we all know how loose the FIA have been with the engine regs in GT3 the past few years, such as approving the Audi R8 V10 as a GT3 car a while before the road version was launched, and the V8 Z4.

[Tim the Grey]

The PR I've read has options for W12 or V8. Both around 500BHP.
I guess the V8, as it HAS to be lighter?
But damn, a W12 would be Uber Cool!

Well, what can I say, but....

I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gwyllion]

The PR I've read gives no specifications (no weight, no power output, no engine configuration, ...). It only states that the GT3 car is based on the Continental GT Speed, which has a W12 engine.