Bentley moves it's GT3 cars over to Team Parker Racing for 2016, in the UK GT Championship & Blancpain Series.

• Bentley announces two-car deal with Team Parker Racing
• Team Parker Continental GT3s to run in British GT Championship and Blancpain Endurance Series
• Bentley Team HTP’s season-long contract comes to an end

Bentley Motorsport today announces that Team Parker Racing will run two Bentley Continental GT3s in the British GT Championship and Blancpain Endurance Series in 2016.

Well known for its championship-winning successes across Europe’s top racing series, Team Parker Racing has selected the Continental GT3 after witnessing its Blancpain Sprint Series and GT Asia Championship wins, and second place finish in Blancpain Endurance Series in 2015.

Previous years Bentley Continental GT3 models

“We’re extremely excited to have Team Parker Racing in the Bentley Motorsport fold,”commented Bentley’s Director of Motorsport Brian Gush. “It’s important that we partner up with teams that have proven they have what it takes to run race- and championship-winning cars and we are confident that, together, we can have success.

“Having a strong presence in the British GT Championship was a key focus for us for 2016. It is one of the top national GT championships in the world and it’s right on our doorstep, so it makes perfect sense to work with a seasoned championship team like Team Parker Racing and aim for the overall title.”

The deal will see the team run two cars in the Blancpain Endurance Series Pro-Am category and two cars in the British GT Championship.

“We’re absolutely delighted to have signed a deal with Bentley,”commented Stuart Parker, Team Principal at Team Parker Racing.“It is a fantastic British brand, which is close to my heart. It’s been a refreshing experience dealing with the team. From the very first conversation to signing the contract last week, we’ve felt incredibly welcome and close to the factory and that’s a unique experience when dealing with a manufacturer.

“The Continental GT3 has proven itself in Europe, so we know we can hit the ground running in the Blancpain Endurance Series, and we’re looking forward to taking Bentley back to the British GT Championship grid.”

Team Parker Racing joins the Bentley family as HTP Motorsport departs, with the season-long contract with the German team coming to an end.

“We had a fantastic year of racing with HTP Motorsport,” Brian Gush continues. “Together, we took the Continental GT3’s first international drivers’ championship win and worked closely to develop and nurture their talented drivers by offering them opportunities in the works team.

“Obviously, it’s disappointing that the deal has come to an end but we look forward to racing alongside them in future and wish them every luck for 2016.”

Details about the Team Parker Racing driver line-ups will be announced in the coming months.

SHANGHAI 2015 - bentley offers its best range ever, along with the stunning EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept.

• EXP 10 Speed 6 concept is a vision of Bentley design and performance  
• Updated style, luxury and performance across Bentley range
• Bentley’s racing success continues with 2015 GT Asia Series
• Bentley leads automotive luxury in China

Bentley’s EXP 10 Speed 6 makes its debut today in China at 2015 Auto Shanghai. The concept shows the future direction of luxury and performance using the finest materials and advanced hybrid technology.

EXP 10 Speed 6 is a British interpretation of a high performance two-seater sportscar. From the racing success of the company’s early years to the international motorsport success of today, ‘speed’ is part of Bentley’s DNA. This inspiration is expressed throughout the EXP 10 Speed 6, where iconic Bentley design cues are fused with progressive craftsmanship techniques and modern technologies. 

Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors, comments: “Following on from its global debut last month in Geneva where it was the star of the show, the EXP 10 Speed 6 is now here in China, our second biggest market, to share our vision for Bentley’s future. This concept showcases modern automotive design, highly skilled British handcrafting, the finest materials and advanced performance technology. This is not just a sports car concept, this is a Bentley sports car concept – a bold vision for a brand with a bold future.

“In China, Bentley is the leading luxury car brand. With the updated style, luxury and performance features across the Bentley range for 2015, we are confident that our Chinese customers will continue to demonstrate great passion for our brand.”

New style and technology for luxury grand touring

Bentley is unveiling a suite of new luxury design upgrades and features to its Continental family of grand tourers in Shanghai.

The Bentley Continental GT is refreshed with a complement of new exterior design features, aimed at sharpening the on-road presence of the iconic Grand Tourer. A new front bumper combines with a smaller radiator shell and new, more pronounced fenders to lend a more assertive and confident stance to the front of the car. Enhancing the GT’s iconic silhouette further, three new paint colours are available.

The upgrades continue inside the luxury cabin of the Continental range with a new and contemporary interior including new seat patterns, brightware elements, driver instruments, steering wheel and gear paddles. New material options and hide colours complete the refresh. Onboard WiFi, providing connectivity to all handheld devices in the car is also now available across the Continental family.

The mighty 6.0-litre twin turbo W12 engine receives a power and torque increase, from 575 PS (567 bhp / 423 kW) and 700 Nm (516 lb.ft) to 590 PS (582 bhp / 434 kW) and 720 Nm (531 lb.ft), to maintain the model’s reputation of effortless performance. The power upgrade is accompanied by improvements to fuel economy and efficiency.  

Luxury of choice extended on Flying Spur

The Flying Spur, Bentley’s best-selling model in China, is on display in Shanghai showcasing additional features and offering even more bespoke choice.

The exquisite cabin of the Flying Spur gains modern and tactile new features for 2015 to maintain Bentley’s reputation for interior style and usability. Complementing the feature upgrades are new paint colours in the hues of Marlin, Camel and Jetstream – as per the Continental GT – and the addition of Shortbread and Camel hides to the extensive range of leathers.

Pinnacle luxury with enhanced efficiency

The updated Mulsanne also joins the line-up at Auto Shanghai. Tailored for the driver, the Mulsanne is the flagship of the Bentley range with its exquisite blend of effortless driveability and unrivled luxury.

For 2015 the Mulsanne receives efficiency upgrades through new engine hardware, with its 512 PS (505 bhp / 377 kW), 1,020 Nm (752 lb.ft) 6¾-litre twin turbo V8 engine now 13% more efficient.

Changes have also been made to the gearbox calibration of the Mulsanne, focusing on smoother, relaxed gear changes that promote a comfortable and refined driving experience.

New paint colours, hide and veneers options are also available across the Mulsanne family.     

Bentley’s international GT3 racing programme expands in 2015

The 2015 season will see the continued growth of the Bentley international motorsport programme, with Works-supported teams racing in six different series across four continents and customers taking their Continental GT3s to an ever-expanding selection of new countries and GT races.

Bentley’s Continental GT3 takes a break from 2015 season preparation to join the new Bentley model range at Auto Shanghai. Bentley entered into the GT Asia Series last year with Bentley Team Absolute Racing and enjoyed a promising start. This season, the calendar has been expanded to incorporate 12 races across Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia and Thailand.

The Continental GT3 is Bentley’s purest expression of speed. The racecar explores the potential of the Continental GT in its most extreme form, exploiting the performance and endurance DNA in every road-going Bentley.

Bentley Collection

New for Spring in the Bentley Collection and on sale at the Bentley boutique in Shanghai are women’s leather jackets plus new season’s scarves and women’s handbags in two iconic styles – Barnato and Continental.