It is no exaggeration to describe the 2003 Bentley Speed 8 as a new car.
 Though the previous two generations of Speed 8 performed spectacularly well,
 returning Bentley to the Le Mans podium in 2003, it was felt that for the final
 year of the three-year program, a fresh approach was required.
 
   Clearly the car still features enclosed bodywork meaning it remained in a class of
 its own and the engine retained its basic architecture, 4-litre capacity, direct fuel
 injection and twin turbochargers. In all other significant respects it was a new
 design from the ground up.
 
   The concept driving the design was to ensure much better exploitation of the
 airflow over the body and particularly to the rear wing. To achieve this, the
 external cockpit area was much reduced, though the car is actually more
 spacious inside, making a smaller hole in the air and allowing the car to use a
 much smaller, more aerodynamic engine cover.
 
   In addition, the air-intake that had sat on top of the car in previous generation
 Speed 8s was deleted in favor of snorkel-type intakes on the sides of the car.
 This not only further increased the efficiency of the air-flow over the car, it also
 lowered the height of the car, lending it a much more sleek, aggressive
 appearance.
 

    Early testing results indicated that not only did the 2003 Speed 8 have a more favorable down force to drag ratio than its predecessor
 it also offered much more consistent aerodynamic performance in all conditions making the car both quicker and easier to drive.
 
   Underneath the new skin the 4-litre engine was re-engineered around the new regulations for 2003 that dictated a 10 per cent reduction
 in engine restrictor size across all classes competing at Le Mans. It was necessary to redesign many internal engine components as well
 as evolve a new electronics strategy for the engine to minimize the shortfall in power that the new regulations brought to all competing
 teams.
 
   The suspension was entirely redesigned as well, partly to improve further its behavior, but also so it can be adapted to suit its new
 Michelin tires. All the geometry was changed, even the mounting points of the rear suspension on the gearbox. That alone necessitated a
 new gearbox casing for the Speed 8. As in previous generations of Speed 8, the internals were supplied by Xtrac.
 
   The 2003 Bentley Speed 8 won the 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans in dominating fashion, beating the previous champion Audi. Guy Smith
 drove the number 7 Bentley Speed 8 across the line, and David Brabham followed up in 2nd place in the sister number 8 car. This gave
 Bentley their first victory at Le Mans in 73 years, and their 6th victory overall.
 
 Bentley Motors Official Website