Friday 7th June 2019

Bentley aims for Pikes Peak production car record

Conti GT to pick up where Bentayga left off in trying to make Bentley King of the Hill

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While last year's Pikes Peak International Hill Climb was rather dominated by Romain Dumas in the VW ID. R, it was also notable for Bentley's achievement: a Bentayga W12 claimed a new production SUV record, at 10:49.9. Doesn't sound like much when the ID. R did 7:57.1, but that's still an average of 66.5mph. And 105 seconds faster than a Range Rover Sport...

Anyway, Bentley has set its sights rather higher this year, with eyes on the outright production car record. It currently stands at 10:26.9 from 2014, set by David Donner in a Porsche 911 Turbo S. As a car to drive 12.42 miles up a mountain in it's hard to think of much better (or faster) than a Turbo S, though Bentley will be trying to surpass it with this Continental GT.

Beyond the paint job, car #100 should be a standard Conti, the car only equipped with the compulsory roll-cage, fire suppression system and racing seats to prepare it for the attempt. As last year, Kiwi Rhys Millen will be on driving duty - his history in Colorado includes a rear-wheel drive record in 2009 - and reckons the GT, "really checks every box as the most competitive vehicle you could arm yourself [with]." He'll have an oxygen system onboard to offset any effects of the drastic altitude change too.

"We are proud to demonstrate the Continental GT's breadth of abilities in competition on a global stage", said Bentley's Director of Motorsport Brian Gush. This year's Pikes Peak takes place on June 30th, with the Bentley running in an Exhibition class also featuring an Acura RDX, a Dodge Charger Hellcat and an electric 911. Should be an interesting weekend!

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[Wonderman]

Is the oxygen system standard? Would be handy for those larger built weezy PH company directors...
Is that the standard ride height, must admit I do like these, it must be Friday I even don't mind the Peak car colour.

[indapendentlee]

Anyone offer any help to explain how it's going to beat the Turbo S?

Turbo S is 580bhp @ 1600kg - 362.5 bhp/tonne

Conti is 626bhp @ 2244kg - 281bhp/tonne

Both AWD - can't see how they'd do it without cheating.

[MIP1983]

indapendentlee said:

Anyone offer any help to explain how it's going to beat the Turbo S?

Turbo S is 580bhp @ 1600kg - 362.5 bhp/tonne

Conti is 626bhp @ 2244kg - 281bhp/tonne

Both AWD - can't see how they'd do it without cheating.

No idea, the course was fully paved when that time was set, doesn't seem doable unless there's been massive gains in tyre performance made in that time?

[kambites]

Maybe Bentley think their engine will maintain significantly more of its power at such high altitude than the Porsche unit?

[muhnkee2]

indapendentlee said:

Anyone offer any help to explain how it's going to beat the Turbo S?

Turbo S is 580bhp @ 1600kg - 362.5 bhp/tonne

Conti is 626bhp @ 2244kg - 281bhp/tonne

Both AWD - can't see how they'd do it without cheating.

I agree, the math doesnt add up, but hey they are a VW Group brand, so cheating is literally in their DNA!!

[kambites]

muhnkee2 said:

I agree, the math doesnt add up, but hey they are a VW Group brand, so cheating is literally in their DNA!!

Yeah but so are Porsche so it should be roughly equal cheating.

[ntiz]

The front looks more aggressive than normal??

Perhaps this will be how they announce the speed variant with good chunk more power?

[blue al]

I could make a 280 bhp per ton car at home over a weekend
Would a mono or atom or caterham kill this challenge stone dead
Or if it needs any volume an exige could easily become the chariot of choice ?

[Reciprocating mass]

Probably the same car with a poly carbonate cover over it vw didn’t buy out Tamiya did they ?

[anonymous-user]

MIP1983 said:

indapendentlee said:

Anyone offer any help to explain how it's going to beat the Turbo S?

Turbo S is 580bhp @ 1600kg - 362.5 bhp/tonne

Conti is 626bhp @ 2244kg - 281bhp/tonne

Both AWD - can't see how they'd do it without cheating.

No idea, the course was fully paved when that time was set, doesn't seem doable unless there's been massive gains in tyre performance made in that time?

I agree on the one hand it's hard to believe it could get anywhere near a turbo s but... if the Bentayga managed to haul it's fugly fat a55 up the mountain in 10:49.9 then 10:26.9 in a Conti GT doesn't sound so outrageous... maybe

[thegreenhell]

indapendentlee said:

Anyone offer any help to explain how it's going to beat the Turbo S?

Turbo S is 580bhp @ 1600kg - 362.5 bhp/tonne

Conti is 626bhp @ 2244kg - 281bhp/tonne

Both AWD - can't see how they'd do it without cheating.

900NM of torque versus 700 for the Porsche will help, especially out of all those slow uphill corners.

[chuntington101]

Could be anything! Maybe the turbos on the Conti have more room to maintain the power at a higher altitude. I think for NA/supercharger cars loose something like 15% air density at the start and about 25% by the top. Turbos can offset this issue but only so far. Not sure what the intercooler are like on the conti but that’s can also play into it (thinner air, less cooling, higher IATs, more knock, more timing pulled, less power).

[V8 FOU]

Maybe the "oxygen" is really nitrous for the car?