Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVII

2 4 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I T o some, Bentley and Rolls Royce could be considered as almost the same vehicles. Both hugely luxurious and oozing prestige, both symbols of automotive greatness. However, one important factor has always set Bentley apart. That factor is a glorious racing heritage, and every now and again, Bentley choose to (literally) drive this distinction home on the race tracks of the world. From 2001 to 2003 they did it by unleashing their brutal Speed 8 at Le Mans, and now they’re preparing to do it again with the fabulous Continental GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance series in Europe and the Pirelli World Challenge in the USA. While this will obviously bring a dash of style and added excitement to both of these motor-racing events, the real good news is that all this activity has resulted in a full-blown racing spec, yet road-legal, Bentley that’s available to the general public. Well, a lucky 300 members of the general public, that is. Say hello to the Bentley GT3-R, a strictly limited edition beast that sets the benchmark for the sportier cars rumoured to be waiting along the Bentley pipeline. It’s a truly stunning machine and, to put it in the words of Paul Jones, head of the Continental product line, “The GT3-R is the most driver- focused car we’ve ever done. We wanted it to be a measurable step on in acceleration terms on the W12 and in dynamic terms compared with the V8 S. It started out as a classic skunkworks project with a very small team of people behind it.” Strong words indeed. But once you experience the GT3-R, you’ll see that it very much walks the walk to match Mr. Jones’ talk. Priced at $339,725, it’s around $135,000 more expensive than a base Continental V-8 S, which at first may seem strange, as it’s a car with fewer luxuries. But take a closer look at what that money buys and you’ll agree that it’s a wise investment. You see, the GT3-R isn’t just a GT3 with number plates attached. That is to say that it’s not merely a slammed, rear-wheel-drive racing shell with a sequential transmission and a roll cage. It’s a skilfully modified Continental GT V8-S that has been highly tuned to turn out 572 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, increases of 51 and 14 over the standard V8-S. That’s a huge amount of power to squeeze out of 244 cubic inches. Add to that an overboost function that makes 592 horses and 553 pound-feet achievable in 15 second bursts and you’re looking at a car that goes just as good as it looks. It’s not the vehicle to take your family out for a drive in, though. That’s because in order to reduce the Continental’s weight by a massive 220 pounds, the GT3-R goes without back seats, instead featuring a diamond-stitched and pleated parcel shelf to perfectly match the diamond-stitched bucket seats you and your single passenger will enjoy. This is also one of the first Bentleys without a forest of wood gracing the cabin. In its place, the GT3-R features carbon trim to the doors and the centre and overhead consoles to continue the car’s racing theme. And in case that isn’t enough to confirm that this is a race-bred Bentley, slashes of British Racing Green trim form accents as far as the eye can see. Buckle yourself in, start up the engine, and the twin-turbo V-8 fires with a louder, coarser roar through its titanium exhaust than any Bentley you’ve heard before. New pistons, turbos, and engine calibrations make the accelerator pedal feel much more urgent and direct than in the intentionally more refined Continental S, with Bentley claiming a 0-to-60-mph time of just 3.6 seconds in this new model. It was a conscious and weight-saving decision to use the V8 powerplant over the much heavier W-12 unit used in other cars in the range. Another wise decision, as it turns out, with the tuned V-8 providing a substantial yet suitably gentlemanly urge to the GT3-R. A potent grumble emanates from the motor, rather than anything more raucous and less refined, epitomising the true sound of a legend. A shorter final- drive ratio (3.50:1 instead of 2.85 in the V-8 S) boosts the GT3-R’s acceleration, while the eight-speed automatic, which has been tuned for faster changes, can be manually shifted for a more involving drive. Of course the driver could simply select the sportiest automatic mode, which holds the car in lower gears and always has the proper ratio ready for action whenever it’s called for. Throw the GT3-R into a bend, and the firmer spring rates and revised shock tuning sharpen the handling, allowing you to take each corner with more enthusiasm and less roll. And while the steering ratio is the same as a standard Continental, the R’s synthetic-suede-wrapped wheel feels somehow better connected and faster. That’s probably because greater stiffening means the body isn’t allowed to sway as much. Despite the car’s size, corner placement seems easy and the grip from the Pirelli 275/40 tyres on 21-inch forged wheels feels positively unbreakable. Ceramic brake discs – at 16.5-inch diameter up front, even larger than a regular Continental – stop the car as if it were at least 1000 pounds lighter. Mission accomplished