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Chris Harris finds out if the Bentley Continental GT3-R deserves the badge

Before getting behind the wheel, Chris Harris is very confused by the Bentley Continental GT3-R. While the British brand undoubtedly has a long history in motorsports, Harris questions whether the stripped-out coupe fits the company's luxurious image. He aims to find out in his latest, drift-heavy video. Weighing in at over 4,800 pounds, this Continental is no lightweight, but the muscle comes thanks to a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 making 572 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. Power goes to all four wheels, but as Harris shows here, the system is still happy to let the big coupe wag its tail. He has especially nice things to say about the shorter differential that sacrifices outright top speed for better response at lower velocities. Still, the question remains whether it makes sense for a posh brand like Bentley to follow the Porsche mold with a racecar for the street. With the GT3-R limited to just 300 cars worldwide and 99 in the US for $337,000 each, a good way to find out is to take this ride with Harris.

Porsche recalling 24,500 Panameras for a potential HVAC coolant pump issue

A possible coolant pump problem for the HVAC system is causing Porsche to recall 24,467 units of the Panamera from the 2017 to 2020 model years. Bentley's recalling 650 examples of the sibling 2020 Continental GT for the same issue. Porsche was notified of a malfunction in the external heat pump for the Panamera's climate control in December 2022. An automaker investigation found that it's possible for excess humidity or even liquid to get past the pump seals and short out the pump's circuit board and connector. In rare instances, the malfunction could cause a fire. This can happen even when the engine is turned off because the cars in question are equipped with a residual heat function that keeps warming the cabin after shutdown. Panameras built after July 26, 2021 were fitted with a different pump. The Stuttgart carmaker's field analysis showed "a very small number of instances of thermal damage possibly attributable to this issue." Bentley changed the part in July 2019 to a model with a pressure compensation seal. Porsche said it will begin notifying owners on March 27. It also said it will reimburse any Panamera owners who have paid to have the part fixed previous to this recall. The fix is a trip to the dealer for a new pump with better sealing, sourced from a new supplier. Bentley will begin notifying owners on the same day. In Bentley's case, though, the automaker says "A hardware change will be required but the final solution is currently under investigation and cannot be confirmed at this time." Since the automaker moved to a new pump that isn't part of the recall population, we aren't sure why a resolution remains under investigation. Porsche owners can contact Porsche customer service at 800-767-7243 and refer to internal recall number APA1. Bentley owners can call 800-777-6923 and refer to RE23/02 (RC67). Anyone in that group can go straight to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration at 888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or nhtsa.gov, citing campaign number 23V033 for the Panamera or 23V034 for the Bentley. Related video:

Bentley Continental GT V8 and Toyota 4Runner | Autoblog Podcast #604

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. First, they talk about driving the 2020 Bentley Continental GT V8 First Edition, followed by the 2020 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road. Then they revive a format called "This or That," discussing the Jeep Wrangler vs. Gladiator, Subaru Forester vs. Outback, Mustang vs. Camaro vs. Challenger, and whether they'd rather spend $25,000 on a new or vintage car. They've got an update on a previous Spend My Money segment, and, finally, they help another listener pick a daily driver. Autoblog Podcast #604 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2020 Bentley Continental GT V8 2020 Toyota 4Runner This or That: Jeep Gladiator or Jeep Wrangler Subaru Forester or Subaru Outback Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro or Dodge Challenger Vintage car or new car Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Podcasts Bentley Chevrolet Dodge Jeep Subaru Toyota Truck Coupe SUV Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance Classics