√Wild Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak race car for sale

Golf course up a hill? Have we got the car for you! Bentley’s Pikes Peak Hill Climb contender could now be yours.

A Bentley Continental GT super coupe built to set a record up the Pikes Peak ‘hill climb’ race course in the US – the world’s highest-altitude motor race – has been listed for sale.

Built to challenge the Open Time Attack class at the 2021 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak racer is an exercise in purpose-built power and aerodynamics.

It uses a version of the regular Continental’s 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8, albeit with a significant power bump over the road car with 559kW and 1000Nm – up from 404kW/770Nm.

Further engine changes include a carbon-fibre intake manifold, custom 3D-printed Akrapovic front-exit exhaust and is tuned to run on a 98-octane biofuel.

If you want to stick the golf clubs in the boot, sadly the 358-litre luggage compartment of the road car is taken up with a back-up radiator, and plumbing for additional engine cooling.

The body of the car includes additional aerodynamic elements that add 30 per cent more downforce than the Continental GT3 race car which customers can purchase for GT and endurance race competition.

The giant rear wing is the largest ever used by Bentley and the front splitter uses multiple planes as well as aggressive canard wings.

Bentley may be best known today for its luxurious coupes, sedans and SUVs, but the British brand has a long history in motor racing.

Formed by W.O. Bentley in 1919, the ‘winged B’ took line honours at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930. Bentley returned to Le Mans in 2001 and took third place, but then won the event two years later in the 2003 Bentley Speed 8.

This Pikes Peak attempt wasn’t Bentley’s first, with the brand securing the record for a production, road-going SUV with the Bentayga in 2018, then for any production car with the Continental GT in 2019.

Due to snow and ice, the Pikes Peak course run by this 2021 race car was shortened to the 16-mile (25.7km) mark, so even setting the fastest time of the event would not have counted to the overall course record.

Piloted by Rhys Millen, the Bentley suffered an issue near the top of the course but was still able to claim second in class – and fourth outright – behind a Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport driven by Romain Dumas.

2021 Pikes Peak Time Attack Class podium results

Position	Car	Driver	Time	Gap
1	Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport	Romain Dumas	6:31.914	–
2	Bentley Continental GT3	Rhys Millen	6:36.281	0:04.367
3	Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport	David Donohue	6:45.893	0:09.612

The car didn’t attempt the record again, and is now being offered for sale.

The one-off racer is still in its Pikes Peak livery and is presented in a fully-reconditioned ‘as-raced’ condition. Beware before punting it around your local country roads, as the car’s aerodynamics and suspension have been specifically tuned for the high-altitude, high-speed run up Pikes Peak in Colorado.

Pricing is by application, but if you’re looking for the ultimate one-off performance machine with serious badge credibility, this could be right up your… peak.

View the listing here on Car and Classic in the UK.

The post Wild Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak race car for sale appeared first on Drive.