Skip to main content

First drive: 2015 Bentley GT3-R

Bentley remembers its racing heritage in the snarling Continental GT3-R

If you’ve $337,000 to spend on a car, and you’ve been debating between a racecar and a bespoke luxury coupe, save yourself the anguish and get the Bentley Continental GT3-R.

The night before I was scheduled to drive the only 2015 Bentley Continental GT3-R currently in existence, the earth shook.

Recommended Videos

Lying in bed, dreaming of Bentley racecars and the day ahead, I was abruptly awoken to my hotel room in Napa, California shaking around me. Just as I had quaked with anticipation of driving the GT3-R before I went to sleep that night, the ground around me quaked, too.

Now, any number of things can cause the earth to shake, from fracking to the riotous shouts of Seattle Seahawk fans. While I’d like to credit the pavement-rending $337,000 Bentley, this time the earth shook due to a shift in the earth’s tectonic plates.

Automakers often try to set a distinctive tone before we journalists drive their cars. Nothing, however, could have more aptly set the scene for driving the fastest accelerating Bentley ever than a 6.0 magnitude earthquake.

First drive video

 

Jangled nerves

Nerves already pre-jangled by the 3:20 AM earthly wakeup call, I dropped behind the steering wheel of the GT3-R feeling a bit worse for wear but fully alert. Immediately, sitting inside the GT3-R, I noticed the car didn’t feel any different than, say, the 2015 Bentley GT Speed. Though, it really should.

The seats of the GT3-R are new with deeper bolsters and new foam layers. Behind those new seats, where an owner might find a set of sensible rear buckets in other Continental models, is an Alcantara-lined luggage shelf.

I pushed the ignition button, and, again, the car didn’t really hint at anything particularly distinctive about its nature. The dash came alive with a flash, so, too, did the centralized 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment unit.

Nothing could have more aptly set the scene for driving the fastest accelerating Bentley ever than a 6.0 magnitude earthquake.

That feeling of sameness, though, soon changed. I pulled the shifter of the eight-speed automatic down into Sport and headed for the open road.

At the first touch of the throttle, I knew I was driving a very special Bentley indeed. Even with a quick tap of the accelerator, my head and neck were contorted backward and my ears treated to the deep, raspy tones of a crackling V8 through an uninhibited exhaust system.

And what a V8 it is. Keeping in step with the Continental GT3 racecars, the GT3-R is powered by a highly tuned version of the brand’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, which is a relative of Digital Trends’ 2013 Engine of the Year.

In GT3-R form, the hunk of British aluminum makes 572 horsepower and 518 pound-feet of torque. That large lump of power is routed through an eight-speed automatic and out to all four wheels with a 40:60 front-to-rear torque split.

0 to 60 is mastered in 3.6 seconds and the car tops out at 170 mph. Granted, that top speed isn’t much to write home about, especially considering I personally did 183 mph in the GT Speed. The GT3-R isn’t about Autobahn cruising; it’s about hardline acceleration and precision handling.

Accordingly, along with the distinguishing exterior extras and a suspension that is 54 percent stiffer, the Bentley GT3-R is 220 pounds lighter than the GT V8. Those changes can be immediately felt from behind the wheel.

Interestingly, the GT3-R was designed, if you couldn’t tell from the exterior, to generate a much more evocative, racecar-like motoring experience. Thanks to the quick all-wheel drive system, which can send up to 85 percent of torque to the rear wheels at any moment, the driver can rustle up as many ponies as he wishes without perturbing the big beast, either.

Turn hard into a corner and, where a typical Bentley might wallow a bit under its massive heft, the GT3-R grabs the road hard and plants itself firmly for the apex with minimal body lean.

2015 Bentley Continental GT3-R driver interior
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Astonishingly, the 220-pound weight savings can truly be felt in the corners. For the first time, I feel comfortable describing a Bentley as nimble. Sure, at 4,837 pounds, it’s hardly a featherweight. However, compared to the GT V8 S I drove back-to-back with the GT3-R, or the 12-cylinder GT Speed, I can certainly say it is much more sprightly than its more bespoke brothers.

With its big wing, side stripes, and hell fury V8, the GT3-R is the most mental muscle car in the world. And – from behind the wheel – it really feels like one, too. It’s a big, beefy thing with lots of growl and gusto. Yes, it’s a bit boyracer-y but it’s the kind of boyracer whose father is a Duke.

Rarity

Bentley only plans to build 300 examples of the GT3-R, 99 of which are slated for the U.S. I, however, got to drive the first one ever built, for which I am hugely grateful and humbled.

While I was inexorably excited to drive the first-ever GT3-R, I feel a bit sad having now driven it.

While I was inexorably excited to drive the first-ever GT3-R, I feel a bit sad having now driven it. The GT3-R was so good, so vital, so animated, so shout-y that I am a bit depressed that more of these types of Bentleys won’t exist.

I loved the GT V8 S and the GT Speed; don’t get me wrong. The GT3-R, though, has that certain something, that X-factor that is so rare in the world, let alone in the automotive realm.

It perfectly rides that thin line between luxury and sportiness and outright madness. Really, if I am being perfectly honest, it’s the first Bentley that harkens back to the Bentleys of old – back when the brand was built for well-heeled thrill-seekers and steel-eyed racers.

For that, I am grateful to the Bentley Boys for having created it. But I’m saddened more people won’t get to experience its glory.

Highs

  • Racecar-inspired exterior styling and accents
  • Raspy, crackling sport exhaust
  • Straight-line acceleration
  • Planted, lightweight on-road feel

Lows

  • Only 300 will be built
Nick Jaynes
Former Automotive Editor
Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…
Archer’s flying taxis head to LA for the 2028 Olympics
archer air taxi la28 inglewood aerial a final

Remember the buzz about flying taxis zipping through Paris for the 2024 Olympics? That sci-fi fantasy never got off the ground —Germany’s Volocopter dream was denied certification, leaving fans staring at the same old ground traffic. But now, the skies are opening again for a second shot at glory—this time over Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, has been named the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Archer’s Midnight aircraft, a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry four passengers, will be whisking around VIPs, fans, and stakeholders between venues and key locations like LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and even Orange County. Think 10-20 minute flights that skip the infamous LA gridlock and land you right where the action is—on the roof, basically.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America. There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation.
And Midnight isn’t just a pretty rotor. It’s a whisper-quiet, emission-light aircraft with 12 rotors and a redundant, airline-level safety design.
What’s more, Archer and LA28 are working together to electrify vertiport hubs around the city—think futuristic sky stations—to serve not only Games-time needs but also to plant seeds for a post-Olympic air mobility network.
The air mobility market has been fast developing over the past few years, featuring the likes of Hyundai partnership with China’s XPeng HT Aero and Toyota's backing of Joby Aviation, a U.S. venture. Joby bought Uber Elevate in 2020, hoping to someday pair its air taxis with Uber’s ride-hailing app.
Archer, for its part, has been busy building a strategic partnership with United Airlines, which has already placed orders for the aircraft and is helping with logistics to integrate air taxis into airport-to-downtown travel. More than a demo for the cameras, the LA28 partnership will showcase urban air travel for real-world daily use, starting with one of the most high-profile events on Earth.
After raising false hopes in Paris, the air taxi dream is aiming for liftoff in LA—and this time, it might just stick the landing.

Read more
Electric Muscle Misfire? Dodge Pulls Charger Daytona R/T from 2026 Lineup
electric muscle misfire dodge pulls charger daytona r t from 2026 lineup all new

The Dodge Charger Daytona R/T, once hailed as the vanguard of Dodge’s electric muscle car future, is being dropped for the 2026 model year.
According to a report from MoparInsiders, the Scat Pack variant will now lead the Daytona lineup, marking a significant pivot in Stellantis’ EV strategy.
Originally introduced with bold ambitions, the Charger Daytona R/T was designed to offer an accessible gateway into electric performance. With its 456-horsepower dual-motor setup and optional 509-horsepower Direct Connection stage kit, it seemed poised to excite both muscle car fans and EV newcomers. However, market realities have painted a different picture.
Industry and media reports highlight the core issue: buyers just weren’t biting. Despite its impressive specs and nostalgic design cues, the R/T struggled to justify its price tag, starting near $60,000. At that level, buyers expected either more performance or more premium features. Without strong sales traction, Dodge made the tough call to shelve the R/T variant for 2026, opting instead to focus on trims that resonate better with customers.
As we reported in December, the Charger EV was launched with an off-beat marketing message to “save the planet from self-driving sleep pods.” The goal was to retain Dodge’s brand identity—muscle, aggression, and driver engagement—even in the electric era. The Charger Daytona R/T was supposed to be the perfect balance of price and performance, but it seems the target audience wasn’t ready to make that leap at that price.
Importantly, this doesn’t spell the end of the Charger Daytona altogether. Higher-performance models like the Scat Pack and Banshee are still in the pipeline and, interestingly, are being adjusted for price competitiveness. Several trims are reportedly seeing price cuts, suggesting Stellantis is serious about making these vehicles more appealing and accessible.
For enthusiasts, the takeaway is clear: the electric muscle car isn’t going anywhere, but automakers are still figuring out how to sell it. The demise of the R/T is less a failure and more a recalibration—proof that even the boldest plans need to stay flexible in the face of consumer demand.

Read more
The all-electric Cadillac Vistiq makes the Escalade redundant
2026 Cadillac Vistiq front-quarter view.

Cadillac wants a full lineup of electric vehicles, and it’s nearly there. It has a standard crossover SUV (the Lyriq), an entry-level model (the Optiq), an electric version of its flagship Escalade (the Escalade IQ), and even a baroque showpiece (the Celestiq). But something’s missing.

For a modern luxury brand, a midsize three-row crossover is key. Customers for whom a Toyota Highlander is too déclassé need something to take their kids to lacrosse practice, but may not want something as big as an Escalade. This isn’t the most exciting design brief, and that’s reflected in the gasoline Cadillac XT6, which has always felt like nothing more than a placeholder. Its new electric counterpart, the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq, is anything but.

Read more