At first glance, you might say that the 2015 Bentley Continental GT3-R is nothing extraordinary. Besides, it’s almost more expensive than the GT V-8 by $150,000. Although it has a higher performance model, it has less horsepower than the W-12-powered Speed. And despite being the lightweight version, it still weighs around 4937 pounds.
Once you get inside the new Conti though, you’ll find more than enough reasons to love the GT3-R. For one, it has a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that makes 500 horsepower with a nominal output of 572 and 516 lb-ft. From a standstill to 135 mph, it can reach 592 and 553 for up to 15 seconds. Although for a limited time only, its 148 horsepower per liter ratio is still quite impressive.
The GT3-R’s interior is made of carbon fiber with green leather accents. Because it has no backseat, Bentley managed to cut more than 200 pounds off its overall weight. While the door panels are cool, you can find lots of green inserts and accents on the dash and center console.
In the 2015 Bentley Continental GT3-R, you won’t notice any lag, the engine lunges for redline with a 6000 rpm. Plus, the turbos are not panting at high speeds. If you have the vehicle in manual mode, speed builds up so fast. You’ll need to pull the upshift paddle because the tach needle sweeps past 5000 even in first gear.
This beast of a machine can blast from 0 to 60mph in just 3.4 seconds. In fact, you can get to a quarter mile in only 11.6 seconds and passes at 122mph. Even at more than 60mph, the new Continental keeps pace with the 640-horsepower Dodge Viper SRT, which is almost 1600 pounds lighter.
Like a lot of performance cars nowadays, the GT3-R is created to burble and pop on engine overrun. But as the driver breathes off the throttle, he gets a little race-car treat every time.
Today, the 2015 Bentley Continental GT3-R retails at $237,125.
