Oh to be rich enough to fund a privateer GT3 entry and join the grid in one the many international championships. But what to select as your weapon of choice? Established players like the Mercedes SLS GT3,
Audi R8 LMS
McLaren 12C GT3
are proven race winners. But the world of GT racing has gotten a whole lot more interesting from the perspective of competitors and spectators alike with the arrival of new players like the
Bentley Continental GT3
. Race versions of some of our favourite big-engined coupes and supercars, engorged with wide arches, wild aero and (occasionally) side exhausts battling out on track together - what's not to like?
GT3 grid looks even cooler for 2015
Lexus clearly wants a piece of the action and having revealed its
Japanese Super GT version
of its RC F coupe it's now confirmed a GT3 'concept', the car making its debut at Geneva next week. Now, the Super GT version looked the part (no, we still don't know what the hell was going on with that fancy dress pit crew in the press shots) but the new four-cylinder turbo engine rules for GT500/DTM aren't quite as evocative as what went before. No matter, the GT3 deals with that by sticking with a sodding great V8 - a modified version of the 5.0-litre unit in the
roadgoing RC F
sharing the Geneva stand and making its European debut at the show.
In the GT3 it makes 540hp, around 90hp up on the road car, which paired with the 1,250kg kerbweight and aero should make it a formidable track weapon. If those are side exhausts below the doors we're sold on the idea! Built by Lexus International with assistance from Japanese subsidiary Techno Craft, the official line is that the RC F GT3 Concept 'signals Lexus' intent to support GT3 sports car racing in 2015.' And although the official blurb keeps calling it a concept it also says testing will begin later this year. We look forward to seeing it out there...