Bentley Speed 8
The No. 7 Speed 8 at the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed | |||||||||
| Category | LMGTP | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designer(s) | Peter Elleray | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon fiber and aluminium honeycomb monocoque, carbon roll hoop integrated with roof structure | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Independent double wishbones, pushrods, torsion bar, telescopic dampers | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Independent double wishbones, pushrods, torsion bar, telescopic dampers | ||||||||
| Engine | Audi/Bentley 4.0 litre 90-degree V8 twin-turbo, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Bentley Xtrac 6-speed sequential manual with Megaline pneumatic actuation | ||||||||
| Tyres | 2001-2002: Dunlop 2003: Michelin | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Team Bentley | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | Tom Kristensen, Guy Smith, Rinaldo Capello, Martin Brundle, Mark Blundell, Eric van de Poele, Johnny Herbert, David Brabham | ||||||||
| Debut | 2001 24 Hours of Le Mans | ||||||||
| First win | 2001 24 Hours of Le Mans | ||||||||
| Last win | 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans | ||||||||
| Last event | 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans | ||||||||
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| Constructors' Championships | None | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | None | ||||||||
The Bentley Speed 8 (developed from the Bentley EXP Speed 8) is a Grand Touring Prototype race car that was designed by Bentley. It has a strong resemblance to and shares some technology with the Audi R8C, which had raced only once before Audi dropped the project to focus on the later dominant Audi R8. The EXP Speed 8 marked Bentley's return to racing after a 73-year absence.