Bentley is back on the racetrack with the Continental GT3

By Nick Jaynes Published December 2, 2013

Bentley won the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in 2003. It then dropped the mic and walked off the racing stage for a decade.

Now it’s back, though, and it’s brought with it the Continental GT3: a winged British brawler.

Powered by a race-prepared and dry-sump version of Bentley’s 600-horsepower, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, the Continental GT3 will make its triumphant racing debut at the 2013 Gulf 12 Hours in Abu Dhabi on December 13.

All Bentleys are meticulously handcrafted in Crewe, England. The Continental GT3 is no different. The steering wheel, carbon racing seat, and leather door-pulls are all assembled and installed by hand.

Unlike most new, all-wheel drive Bentleys, however, the GT3’s power is sent to the rear wheels by an Xtrac six-speed sequential transaxle gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters through a carbon fiber propshaft to a limited-slip differential.

Like any good racecar, the Continental GTC has enough stopping power to mangle your face. Designers have bolted ventilated iron disc brakes at all four corners with Brembo six-piston front calipers, four-piston rear calipers, and given the driver the ability adjustable brake bias on the fly. If only they’d give us the adjustable brake bias in production cars.

Bentley has not said how quickly the Continental GT3 will rush to 60 mph. But since it’s a racecar, I’m assuming it’s fastly.

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Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

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