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 current launch in Australia of the brand new Continental GT S supplied the proper alternative to have a good time V8-powered efficiency, with the particular version paying tribute to the highway automotive’s racing sibling, the Continental GT3.
Centered on driving efficiency and visible presence, the Continental GT S shares quite a few traits with its track-based counterpart, thereby offering the proper basis for the pair of specially-commissioned highway automobiles.
The 2 automobiles within the pair each have particular person specs. The primary automotive takes inspiration from the livery of the successful race automotive, 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, facet skirts, and rear diffuser in carbon fiber) offering a extra aggressive visible stance.
The cabin is much extra luxurious than the race automotive counterpart while providing a efficiency really feel. Utilizing a combination of Leather-based and Dinamica in Beluga with Apple Inexperienced accents through micro-piping and distinction sew, the inside enhances the outside completely. ‘BATHURST’ has been stitched into the headrests and ‘One in all Two’ will be seen on the treadplates. A novel metallic overlay depicting the monitor has been included within the carbon fiber technical end fascias on the passenger facet, and the names of the victorious drivers along with the successful 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 staff of most who attended. They ‘introduced the thunder’ to the Mountain and their 2020 victory stays probably the most in style within the historical past of the race, creating iconic scenes that may 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 automotive 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. Automotive quantity two mirrors the primary, with black chrome and the carbon fiber Styling Specification to the outside and a bespoke cabin. Every automotive shall be provided with a commemorative framed artifact and a 1:18 scale mannequin of the successful automotive.
The Mulliner staff celebrated a brand new milestone 10 2022 in private commissions, after creating 500 distinctive Mulliner Bentley initiatives for patrons world wide in simply 12 calendar months. The staff’s portfolio consists of coachbuilt automobiles 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 in style 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 customary of a Sports activities Exhaust to amplify the crossplane V8 beat.
The keen, free-revving, and lighter 4.0-litre V8 engine provides the Continental GT S fashions a responsive and agile character, and that is amplified by Bentley Dynamic Experience – the superior 48V electrical lively anti-roll management system first pioneered by Bentley. By producing up 1300 Nm in 0.3 seconds, motors inside the anti-roll bars actively compensate for cornering forces to attenuate physique roll beneath laborious cornering, whereas additionally enhancing journey consolation at cruising speeds by decoupling the left- and right-hand wheels from one another.
From Street to Monitor
The most recent era Continental GT3 race automotive was developed in tandem with the Continental GT highway automotive. It used a largely aluminum construction to ship a a lot lighter, race-ready weight of lower than 1300 kg along with improved weight distribution – perfect 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 highway automotive intercoolers have been used within the Continental GT3 to offer optimum engine efficiency. Unrestricted energy was in extra of 550 bhp and gas consumption was improved. Regardless of lowered exhaust noise, the sound was nonetheless unmistakably Bentley, and characteristically thunderous.
Exterior aerodynamic surfaces, primarily based on the sleekly refined traces of the newest era highway automotive present further downforce. New suspension and braking programs have been additionally bespoke to the GT3 automotive.
Bentley’s 2020 Bathurst Win
The Continental GT has demonstrated its extraordinary breadth of capability on the highway and on the monitor, notably 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 automotive moved rapidly by way of the order into podium competition. World-class stints from Soulet, Pepper, and Gounon, and powerful technique and pit stops from the staff, moved the staff into P1 for a complete time of seven hours – with the automotive operating flawlessly. An excellent reactionary pit cease simply over an hour from the tip to take care of a puncture was the ultimate act from the staff to set the automotive 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 file of 314 laps – earlier than the heavens opened and the staff rejoiced within the rain.
