572bhp Bentley Continental GT3-R hits 0 to 62mph in an astonishing 3.8 seconds.
You can rarely have your cake and eat it in this life, but Bentley is trying damn hard to give you just that with a limited edition version of the Continental GT3 that is more comfortable than your sofa and sure as hell faster.
The Continental GT3-R, of which only 300 will be built, has the sort of figures we can only weep over in disbelief. The standard 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 is unchanged, but the 572bhp and 700Nm output has 100kg less weight to push along.
A potent combination of shorter gearing, a new titanium exhaust, 700Nm of torque from as little as 1,700rpm and a revised all-wheel drive system help the Bentley GT3-R to reach 0 to 62mph in a mere 3.8 seconds. That’s as fast as a Ferrari California T.
Bentley has fitted a few other bits and bobs designed to help it get around corners. There’s torque vectoring, for starters, which is a first for the model, chassis optimisation to improve cornering agility and 21-inch gloss black alloys wrapped in ‘high-grip’ Pirelli tyres. In addition, Bentley has moved the Drive and Sport modes further apart so Sport cares even less about your comfort.
When the eight-speed ZT automatic gearbox and gigantic engine gets you into trouble, you will be pleased to know the GT3-R has a powerful Carbon Silicon Carbide braking system comprised 8-piston calipers, 420mm discs at the front and 365mm discs at the rear.
These babies can absorb 10 megajoules of energy (enough to power a family home for six hours, apparently) in one stop, making them resistant to fading under continuous use.
The Continental GT3-R has a front splitter new fixed rear wing made from carbon fibre, while two air vents in the bonnet help keep the engine bay cool. It also comes with a unique Glacier White paintjob and two-tone graphics.
Inside is where you are reminded this is, at heart, a comfortable grand tourer and not a British supercar. The Continental GTR-3 has two unique, handcrafted carbon fibre seats covered in leather and Alcantara. Yet more lashings of expensive materials can be found throughout the cockpit, along with GT3-R branding in the centre console, treadplates, passenger fascia panel and headrests.
Orders are open now and deliveries are expected in ‘late 2014’. We’ll let you know a price when one is announced. For now, the pictures below will have to whet your appetite.
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