The 2003 Bentley Speed 8 Technical Story

Published: 4th February 2003

The testing programme has proceeded apace. The autumn was spent doing extensive tyre testing, benchmarking the new Michelin tyres and determining how best to exploit their performance. These tests were conducted with a 2002-specification EXP Speed 8. Early in the New Year, the first of the 2003 Speed 8s was shaken down successfully at Snetterton before heading off to the circuits of Europe for an extensive test programme prior to Sebring.

Bentley Team Director John Wickham commented: ‘The new car clearly has great potential, the drivers are very happy with the progress we are making, particularly its aerodynamic balance. As with all Bentleys we have run in the last two seasons, reliability appears to have been ‘designed in’. It’s early days but so far we have had no reliability issues with the car whatsoever.’

Andy Pope, speaking for Michelin, said: ‘The first few weeks of our association with Bentley have been extremely encouraging. We have not recently made tyres in the sizes dictated by the LM GTP class, but we appear to have found our feet very quickly and are able to supply Team Bentley with tyres that are quick, consistent and durable.’

	2003 Speed 8	1923 3-Litre
Chassis	Carbon-fibre monocoque	Pressed steel, ladder frame
Body	Stressed carbon-fibre by Race Technology Norfolk	Aluminium and canvas by Vanden Plas
Engine	90 degree V8, four valves per cylinder, twin overhead camshafts, twin turbochargers	In line, 4 cylinders, four valves per cylinder, single overhead camshaft, normally aspirated
Ignition	Bosch 2.8 engine management	Twin ML magnetos
Fuel delivery	Bosch 2.8 engine management	Zenith RA carburettors
Lubrication	Dry sump	Wet sump
Capacity	4000cc	2996cc
Power output	In excess of 600bhp	86bhp
Gearbox	Bentley casing with Xtrac 6-speed sequential internals, Megaline pneumatic actuation	Bentley ‘A’-type 4-speed, non-syncromesh
Clutch	AP Racing multi-plate	Cone-type
Suspension	Double unequal length wishbones all round, torsion bar springs (front and rear), telescopic dampers	Beam axle front, semi-floating live rear axle, semi-elliptic springs all round, Hartford lever arm dampers
Steering	Kayaba EPS Power assisted rack and pinion	Unassisted worm and wheel
Brakes	Front: 14.8in ventilated discs, six piston AP Racing callipers. Rear: 14.0in ventilated discs, six piston AP Racing callipers	Front: none Rear: 15.7in cast iron drums, Halo linings
Wheels	OZ forged magnesium 18in	Rudge-Whitworth wire, 21in
Tyres	Michelin slicks and wets	Dunlop treaded
Wheelbase	2735mm	2984mm
Length	4645mm	4876mm
Weight	900kg	990kg (without body)
Top speed	In excess of 215mph	95mph