Thread: Лос-Анджэлесе аўтасалоне: вяртанне Бэнтлі ў гонках

Bentleys return to GT3 racing may smack of brand strategy, but it can only prove beneficial for the marque and for motorsport fansIt would be easy to be slightly cynical about Bentleys decision to return to racing next year, 10 years after it won Le Mans. After all, GT3 racing can appear all a bit gentlemanly and a good excuse for exotic car makers to flog a few cars.
Але пакуль праект, безумоўна, камерцыйна прывадам – якая паважае сябе аўтамабільная кампанія не так? – ёсць таксама настой страсці аб тым, як людзі наверсе займаліся сваімі справамі, якія і належыць брэнду з спадчынай Бэнтлі хлопчыкаў.
Ahead of today's Los Angeles motor show, Rolf Frech, the firms technical boss, talked about the passion racing projects instil in a car company, and how much can be learned from them that can be put back on to the production line. The road car guys can learn from the racing guys, and vice versa, he said. The speed at which racing teams solve problems and react is invigorating, and we took the decision to run the project in-house because we wanted to take those skills back in to the company.
І для ўсіх роўных у прадукцыйнасці паміж ГТ3 канкурэнтаў – бо як яшчэ можна шырокім носам Bentley калі-небудзь узяць на Макларен? – тэхнічная праблема цалкам рэальная. Браян Гуш, Бэнтлі ісці да гоначнай чалавек, а таксама дырэктар па шасі і трансмісіі на дарозе з боку аўтамабіля, распавядае аб прыняцці 1000кг з гоншчык, перамяшчэнні рухавіка і ancilliaries вакол, каб атрымаць аптымальную прадукцыйнасць і паўфабрыкатамі, вытворчасць агульнабудаўнічых аперацыю, каб усталяваць машыну выдатна, згладзіць праблемы, а затым прыняць Бэнтлі вяртаецца ў гонкі.
Ідэнтыфікатар мяркую, што ў яго чаргу з спецыялістаў і прафесійных кіроўцаў пераймальнік гонкі збіваючы яго дзверы, а таксама трывалыя спісу патэнцыйных кліентаў аматара. Што, вядома, уяўляецца выпадак, калі яны паказалі машыну ў Амерыцы ў першы раз мінулай ноччу, пасля яе першага паказу на Парыжскім аўтасалоне.
My view is that its great to have a brand with Bentley's heritage back in racing. Great, too, that it sees a relevance in modern motorsport for promoting it brand and sales. And itll be better still if it really whets the company's appetite for another crack at motorsport at the very top.

Bentleys return to GT3 racing may smack of brand strategy, but it can only prove beneficial for the marque and for motorsport fansIt would be easy to be slightly cynical about Bentleys decision to return to racing next year, 10 years after it won Le Mans. After all, GT3 racing can appear all a bit gentlemanly and a good excuse for exotic car makers to flog a few cars.
But while the project is unquestionably commercially driven – what self-respecting car company wouldnt act that way? – theres also an infusion of passion about the way the men at the top are going about their business that befits a brand with the heritage of the Bentley Boys.
Ahead of today's Los Angeles motor show, Rolf Frech, the firms technical boss, talked about the passion racing projects instil in a car company, and how much can be learned from them that can be put back on to the production line. The road car guys can learn from the racing guys, and vice versa, he said. The speed at which racing teams solve problems and react is invigorating, and we took the decision to run the project in-house because we wanted to take those skills back in to the company.
And for all the equalisation in performance figures among GT3 competitors – after all, how else could a wide-nosed Bentley ever take on a McLaren? – the technical challenge is very real. Brian Gush, Bentleys go-to racing man as well as director of chassis and powertrain on the road car side, talks about taking 1000kg out of the racer, moving the engine and ancilliaries around to get optimum performance and running a semi-works operation to set the car up perfectly, iron out problems and then take Bentley back to racing.
Id guess he has a queue of professional and wannabe professional racing drivers knocking down his door – as well as a strong list of potential amateur customers. That certainly seemed to be the case when they showed the car in America for the first time last night, following its initial unveiling at the Paris motor show.
My view is that its great to have a brand with Bentley's heritage back in racing. Great, too, that it sees a relevance in modern motorsport for promoting it brand and sales. And itll be better still if it really whets the company's appetite for another crack at motorsport at the very top.