Mulliner and Bentley Sydney have created a pair of particular Bentleys impressed by the grueling Bathurst 12 Hour, the place Bentley was victorious in 2020 with its Continental GT3 racer. The latest launch in Australia of the brand new Continental GT S offered the proper alternative to have a good time V8-powered efficiency, with the particular version paying tribute to the street automobile’s racing sibling, the Continental GT3.
Centered on driving efficiency and visible presence, the Continental GT S shares plenty of traits with its track-based counterpart, thereby offering the proper basis for the pair of specially-commissioned street vehicles.
The 2 vehicles within the pair each have particular person specs. The primary automobile takes inspiration from the livery of the profitable race automobile, with an exterior is vivid Apple Inexperienced, contrasted by a Beluga black roof, wing mirrors, decrease bumper, and rear boot silhouette. The distinctive entrance visible additionally features a quantity seven painted on the grille matrix, as per the racer.
The up to date efficiency theme continues with the inclusion of the Blackline Specification – changing all exterior vivid chrome work with polished black variations – and the Styling Specification (entrance splitter, aspect skirts, and rear diffuser in carbon fiber) offering a extra aggressive visible stance.
The cabin is way extra luxurious than the race automobile counterpart while providing a efficiency really feel. Utilizing a mix of Leather-based and Dinamica in Beluga with Apple Inexperienced accents by way of micro-piping and distinction sew, the inside enhances the outside completely. ‘BATHURST’ has been stitched into the headrests and ‘One among Two’ will be seen on the treadplates. A novel steel overlay depicting the monitor has been included within the carbon fiber technical end fascias on the passenger aspect, and the names of the victorious drivers along with the profitable quantity seven will be discovered on the middle console.
Shane Rudzis, Bathurst 12 Hour Occasion Director feedback: “Bentley rapidly grew to become an iconic a part of the Bathurst 12 hour and a fan favourite crew of most who attended. They ‘introduced the thunder’ to the Mountain and their 2020 victory stays one of the vital standard within the historical past of the race, creating iconic scenes that can lengthy be replayed. We’re proud to assist Bentley have a good time that well-known outcome with this pair of extremely particular and distinctive Continental GT S automobiles, very similar to the pair of Continental GT3 entries that have been so spectacular on the Mountain for a lot of memorable years.”
The second automobile is painted in Silver Tempest to mirror the introduction of the second-generation Continental GT3 that was launched in late 2017 and began competing in 2018. Automobile quantity two mirrors the primary, with black chrome and the carbon fiber Styling Specification to the outside and a bespoke cabin. Every automobile shall be equipped with a commemorative framed artifact and a 1:18 scale mannequin of the profitable automobile.
The Mulliner crew celebrated a brand new milestone 10 2022 in private commissions, after creating 500 distinctive Mulliner Bentley initiatives for purchasers world wide in simply 12 calendar months. The crew’s portfolio consists of coachbuilt vehicles such because the Batur, heritage restricted editions together with the Blower, and all kinds of beautiful and distinctive buyer initiatives the place creativeness is the one limitation.
Race-Impressed V8 Efficiency
The brand new S vary retains the 542 bhp (550 PS) and 770 Nm 4.0-litre V8 engine that’s proved extremely standard with clients world wide, delivering a time of simply 4.0 seconds for 0-62 mph (100 km/h). For the GT and GTC S, the engine is enhanced by the fitment as normal of a Sports activities Exhaust to amplify the crossplane V8 beat.
The keen, free-revving, and lighter 4.0-litre V8 engine offers the Continental GT S fashions a responsive and agile character, and that is amplified by Bentley Dynamic Experience – the superior 48V electrical energetic anti-roll management system first pioneered by Bentley. By producing up 1300 Nm in 0.3 seconds, motors throughout the anti-roll bars actively compensate for cornering forces to attenuate physique roll below onerous cornering, whereas additionally enhancing journey consolation at cruising speeds by decoupling the left- and right-hand wheels from one another.
From Street to Observe
The most recent technology Continental GT3 race automobile was developed in tandem with the Continental GT street automobile. It used a principally aluminum construction to ship a a lot lighter, race-ready weight of lower than 1300 kg along with improved weight distribution – supreme for racing. The engine was a brand new growth of the race-proven 4.0-litre Bentley twin-turbo V8, with a redesigned dry sump system and all-new consumption and exhaust programs.
Extremely optimized street automobile intercoolers have been used within the Continental GT3 to offer optimum engine efficiency. Unrestricted energy was in extra of 550 bhp and gasoline consumption was improved. Regardless of decreased exhaust noise, the sound was nonetheless unmistakably Bentley, and characteristically thunderous.
Exterior aerodynamic surfaces, primarily based on the sleekly refined strains of the newest technology street automobile present extra downforce. New suspension and braking programs have been additionally bespoke to the GT3 automobile.
Bentley’s 2020 Bathurst Win
The Continental GT has demonstrated its extraordinary breadth of capability on the street and on the monitor, significantly by taking total victory in Continental GT3 type on the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2020. The #7 Continental GT3 of Maxime Soulet (BEL), Jordan Pepper (ZAR), and Jules Gounon (FRA) dominated the opening spherical of the 2020 Intercontinental GT Problem that yr, sweeping to victory after beginning P11.
The automobile moved rapidly by means of the order into podium competition. World-class stints from Soulet, Pepper, and Gounon, and robust technique and pit stops from the crew, moved the crew into P1 for a complete time of seven hours – with the automobile working flawlessly. An excellent reactionary pit cease simply over an hour from the top to cope with a puncture was the ultimate act from the crew to set the automobile up for victory. Rain loomed whereas ambient temperatures exceeded 40°C, however after the half-day dash the #7 Continental GT3 crossed the road because the winner of the Bathurst 12 Hour. As they took the chequered flag, the crew additionally set a brand new race distance document of 314 laps – earlier than the heavens opened and the crew rejoiced within the rain.
