Although there are a number of different special edition Continental GTs, very few of them come close to the GT3-R. The main reason is that the GT3-R has real racing ties unlike any other Continental, and at the same time, it’s the only stripped down and track ready Continental. In other words, it’s the only Continental following the recipe of the 911 GT3 RS. And while the GT3-R isn’t as extreme, it certainly makes a difference compared to other Continentals. For one, the 2015 Continental GT3-R was the lightest modern Bentley when it came out. It also has the most powerful V8 engine ever in a Continental GT, even more powerful than the one in the current V8S. The GT3-R also looked like a track ready Bentley both inside and out which by itself makes it special enough. Naturally, the GT3-R was also the most expensive Continental until the Supersports came out thanks to its limited production. But today, the prices are much more reasonable and if you are after one, check if any of them are available here at Exotic Car Trader before we take this review further.
Although Bentley used to be very active when it came to racing in its early years, that came to an end once Rolls Royce took over. And it wouldn’t be until the turn of the 21st century that Bentley would enter the 24 hours of Le Mans again. But before the GT3 Continental began racing, another ten year pause ensued which is why the model was so important. Thanks to that importance, Bentley made the GT3-R both to commemorate its return to racing and also to promote its racing efforts to a wider audience. And although the GT3-R doesn’t resemble the GT3 as much as we want it to, it was still special enough to peak everyone’s interest. Also, it’s the only Continental of its kind ever despite the GT3 continuing racing with the third generation Continental. On top of that, Bentley only made 300 GT3-R Continentals making it the lowest production Continental ever, with even the Supersports being built in 710 examples. Whether or not Bentley will grace us with a GT3-R built on the third generation Continental is hard to say but from the looks of it, probably not which will only make the second generation GT3-R more valuable as time goes on.
Although the GT3-R isn’t as stripped down as a 911 GT3 RS or an M3 GTS, its interior is noticeably different from a standard Continental GT. The most notable difference is the lack of rear seats which were replaced by a simple leather wrapped bench. The standard front seats are replaced by deep buckets which may not be as comfortable, but they help reduce a significant amount of weight. Interestingly, even the bucket seats still are massaging which. The GT3-R essentially being a track car, wood trim is nowhere to be seen. Instead, carbon fiber graces the dashboard and almost the entire door trim. And in place of normal leather comes much sportier alcantara which is found on the seats dashboard and the steering wheel among other places. As for interior colors, black was the only option with different colored highlights with turquoise green being the most popular option to match the exterior racing stripes. Like the massaging seats other luxuries also remain like a power trunk lift, a full infotainment system and of course the AC. While Bentley did try to keep the weight down, driver comfort was still high on the priority list which even included the standard air ride suspension.
The exterior changes on the GT3-R aren’t as drastic as they are on the inside, although you definitely won’t have any trouble recognizing one. The main highlight of the exterior are two side racing stripes flowing over the front and rear wheels. A big carbon fiber rear wing that from certain angles seems to be wider than the car also makes the GT3-R easily stand out from the rest of the lineup. The front bumper is still the same one found on a standard V8 but it now has additional canards and a splitter that flows into the new side skirts and a low rear diffuser. The front grille is finished in black on all examples, and the GT3-R gets bespoke hood vents in contrasting carbon fiber which help extract heat from the heavily retuned V8. As a finishing touch, the GT3-R also gets bespoke lightweight forged wheels with Y spokes which are also finished in black on all examples. Overall, the GT3-R looks more like a race car than any other Continental GT that came before or after it.
The V8 engine sourced from VW was significantly more suitable for racing than the giant W12 which is why it’s found in the GT3 race car. The V8 engine can not only make enough power but it’s also light and very reliable. And for the same reason the GT3 uses the V8, the GT3-R does as well. Only in this case, the four liter V8 was tuned to deliver 572 horsepower which is 51 more than the V8S Continental, plus it cranks 516 lb-ft of torque. That’s thanks to new turbochargers, pistons, and a new lightweight titanium exhaust. The GT3-R even has an overboost function which pushes the horsepower output to 592, but it only lasts for fifteen seconds, enough for most main straights. The GT3-R also weighs 220 lbs less than the V8S and nearly 500 lbs less than the W12 GT. And thanks to a lower final drive on top of everything, the GT3-R accelerates to 60 in just 3.6 seconds, faster even than the GT Speed. However, the short final drive also lowers the top speed to just 170 mph, but that’s a small price to pay in the real world, and an even lesser one on most racing tracks. The suspension does remain the same as in the V8S, but it has been slightly retuned and so has the traction control.
The 2015 Continental GT3-R had the highest starting price of any Bentley on sale at the time. The GT3-R had an MSRP of $340,000, a whopping $135,000 more than the V8S and around $100,000 more than the W12 Speed. But unlike stripped down Ferraris, the GT3-R prices didn’t increase as you drove it out of the dealership. Instead, the GT3-R depreciated just like any other Continental GT and today they consistently sell for around $160,000. While that’s more than 50% of its value gone, it’s still quite a bit more expensive than V8S Continentals and even W12 models, both of which go for less than $100,000.
Ultimately, the 2015 GT3-R is one of the most special Bentleys of the 21st century. With a total production run of only 300 examples and being the only Continental GT primarily aimed at lowering lap times, the GT3-R is so far the only Bentley of its kind. And while prices are still relatively high, they have come down quite a long way from where they were when the GT3-R was new. And if you are looking to buy a Continental GT3-R or any other luxury vehicle, Exotic Car Trader can ensure the most convenient and safe purchase possible. With escrow protection, first inspection and delivery, little can go wrong when buying a car through Exotic Car Trader. And since sellers are protected in the same way, selling a car through Exotic Car Trader is also a good idea.
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