A 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 Bentley Continental GT3 race car is expected to contest the final round of the Australian GT Championship, presented by Pirelli, at Highlands Motorsport Park this November.

Arguably the most anticipated FIA GT3 car in the world, the first Bentley Continental GT3 to head down-under has been ordered by Australian GT Championship front-runner Peter Edwards and will be run by his regular team Maranello Motorsport.

Mark Coffey of Maranello Motorsport confirms: “Peter Edwards has been a long-time fan of the Bentley GT3 car, and in fact drives a Bentley Continental GT every day.”

The Bathurst 12-Hour winning team-boss said the Bentley’s arrival makes no change to the team’s primary focus with Ferrari.

“Maranello Motorsport was set up predominantly to prepare and maintain sports and GT cars some 18 years ago, however very quickly we became the operation of choice for Ferrari owners, and as such the bulk of our business now is about preparing, maintaining and managing Ferrari GT cars,” said Coffey.

“Over the years a number of our clients have campaigned cars outside of the Ferrari stable – Porsches, Lamborghinis, etc. – so when Peter decided he really wanted to campaign the Bentley, we were his first choice to prepare and maintain the car, and we’re really looking forward to it.”

The ‘big’ Bentley – built by British motorsport icons M-Sport [responsible for the Ford Fiesta WRC programme] – is in the final stages of preparation, and will be delivered to Australia ahead of its proposed debut at Highlands Motorsport Park in early November.

Mike Sentch, general manager of the popular Highlands Motorsport Park, said: “It’s fantastic that Peter Edwards is planning to debut the Bentley at the Highlands event and our whole team can’t wait to see the Bentley Continental GT3 in action on the Highlands circuit. We’re sure that fans will be delighted to see this 600 HP racing Bentley line-up in both the Australian GT Championship finale and the Highlands 101 enduro.”

Edwards tested the Bentley in the UK before contesting the penultimate round of the Australian GT Championship [AGT] at Sandown in Melbourne.

“It was everything I’d hoped it would be,” the reigning Bathurst 12-Hour champion said. “It’s certainly different to the Ferrari 458 I’ve been driving over recent years, and physically it has a great presence – it’s both longer and wider than a 458. We tested at a little known circuit close by to M-Sport with plenty of elevation changes and it was interesting to say the least – especially with that long nose, but it was certainly a delight to drive.

“M-Sport is a fantastic operation – not too dissimilar to AF Corse in their professionalism – and they had a full crew on deck to support the test and ensure I was comfortable in the car. I can’t wait to take it to Highlands!”

Coffey says that they would be taking both the 12-Hour winning #88 Il Bello Rosso Ferrari 458 Italia and the Bentley GT3 to Highlands for the final round of AGT, but had not yet confirmed the driver line-up in each car.

“John Bowe is still in with a mathematical chance of winning the title, so we might leave him in the 458 and find a good ‘pro’ driver to join Peter. Then we have to determine what we do for the Bathurst 12-Hour. Peter is likely to campaign the Bentley – and we should have some interesting news shortly about the drivers that will join him – but we’ll definitely be defending our title in the Ferrari and already have some star drivers lined up to join us, as well a number of Corsa Clienti regulars who are desperate to join the team as well.”

Since it was launched in late 2012 the Bentley Continental GT3 has had the electronic media world abuzz, with fans and enthusiasts alike lauding its style and beauty, but it doesn’t just look good, having won two rounds of the hotly-contested Blancpain Endurance Series this season, arguably the most competitive GT3 series in the world.

“The car has proven very successful in the hands of factory drivers Guy Smith, Andy Meyrick and Steven Kane and at one stage the M-Sport led team were within striking distance of the title, so we know it’s quick,” Coffey said.

“Peter has developed a lot over the last 18-months as a driver, so we’d expect him to be at the pointy end of the field in Australian GT next year, but he’ll be battling his team-mates in a Ferrari 458 too.”

The final round of the Australian GT Championship presented by Pirelli is part of the race schedule during the Highlands 101 event at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell over the weekend of 7 to 9 November. More information about the upcoming Highlands 101 race meeting, the Highlands Festival of Speed and all regular Highlands Motorsport Park attractions is available on the venue’s website www.highlands.co.nz, or visit the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HighlandsMotorsportPark.