Side skirts Mansory Carbon for Bentey Continental GT

Mansory Carbon Side Skirts for Bentley Continental GT (3W Chassis, 2003–2011)

The side skirts are the structural spine of any widebody programme. On the Mansory Continental GT 3W kit, they perform two simultaneous tasks: aerodynamic and visual. Aerodynamically, the widened Mansory front fenders discharge a larger turbulent air mass at the front arch; the side skirt creates a continuous lateral barrier at the sill, blocking that air from destabilising underbody pressure and preserving the differential that the rear diffuser depends on. Visually, the skirt unifies the widened front and rear arches into a coherent GT silhouette, pulling the car's centre of gravity downward along the sill line. This component is part of the Mansory Carbon Fiber Body Kit Set for Bentley Continental GT, the complete exterior programme for the 3W platform.

Construction & Materials

A side skirt must function simultaneously as an aerodynamic surface and a stone-deflection shield. Mansory's layup addresses both: the main body uses 2×2 twill prepreg carbon fibre, autoclave-cured to eliminate voids and achieve consistent fibre-to-resin ratios. Along the upper mounting flange, unidirectional carbon tape is laminated in to resist bending loads from clip attachment points under road vibration. At the lower lip, a vacuum-infusion edge seal and a 1.0 mm hardened gel-coat chip barrier provide a sacrificial surface that can be touch-repaired without disturbing the structural laminate beneath.

The main body wall tapers from 1.5–2.2 mm at the sill flange to 1.0 mm at the lower lip. Each skirt weighs approximately 1.4 kg, versus 2.6 kg for the OEM plastic cladding — a saving of 1.2 kg per side, 2.4 kg per car. Mounting uses the OEM sill-clip pattern exactly: seven spring clips per side, plus 3M VHB tape at front and rear transition points. Both gloss lacquer and satin matte finishes use UV-stable two-component polyurethane topcoat; a primer-only option allows body-shop colour matching to any Bentley factory shade.

• Weave: 2×2 twill prepreg carbon, autoclave-cured, with UD tape sill flange reinforcement
• Lower lip: gel-coat chip barrier, 1.0 mm, hardened resin edge seal
• Main body wall: 1.5–2.2 mm, taper to 1.0 mm at lower lip
• Weight: approx 1.4 kg per side (vs 2.6 kg OEM plastic cladding per side)
• Mounting: OEM sill-clip pattern, 7 clips per side, plus 3M VHB tape at front and rear transitions
• Finish: gloss lacquer or satin matte, both UV-stable two-component polyurethane lacquer
• Paint match: primer option for body-shop colour application to any Bentley factory shade

Design & Visual Function

The aerodynamic role of the side skirt is best understood through its relationship with the tyres and underbody. The Mansory widened front fenders increase the frontal wheel-arch opening area, accelerating the outward discharge of tyre wake — the turbulent, high-energy air thrown outward and rearward by the rotating front wheels. Without a sill extension, this air migrates toward the underbody channel and raises the static pressure beneath the car, counteracting the low-pressure zone the rear diffuser works to establish. The Mansory side skirt acts as a virtual wall at the sill, preventing this pressure equalisation. In Bernoulli terms: the skirt narrows the effective underbody exit path, increasing air velocity and reducing its pressure relative to the higher-pressure air running alongside the flanks. For the Continental GT 3W at 2,400 kg with AWD torque distribution, even modest reductions in front-axle lift improve cornering balance and raise the body-roll initiation speed.

The visual transformation is equally significant. The 1st-generation Continental GT has a relatively high sill line in OEM form — a byproduct of the 3W platform's structural architecture and its formal GT character. The Mansory side skirt lowers the perceived sill height by approximately 40 mm visually, pressing the car optically closer to the road without any suspension modification. Combined with the widened front and rear arches, the skirts create the illusion of a lower, wider car. The horizontal carbon weave along the sill divides the large body-colour mid-section into an upper painted zone and a lower carbon zone, reducing apparent visual mass. This contrast works particularly well with darker factory colours such as Beluga Black and Magnetic Grey, where the carbon texture creates tonal depth rather than sharp graphic separation.

Panel gap quality distinguishes purpose-engineered fitment from generic aftermarket parts. The Mansory skirts are developed against actual 3W sill geometry, so the upper flange tucks cleanly under the door sill edge, and the panel face sits flush with the lower door skin — a 3.0–3.5 mm gap at the door-to-skirt transition matching the factory specification. Universal or off-platform skirts typically require gap-filling compound at the ends. The OEM-referenced clip spacing is reproduced exactly, eliminating rattle and producing a road-worthy installation that reads as factory.

Compatibility & Fitment

Developed specifically for the Bentley Continental GT 1st generation, 3W chassis, 2003–2011. The sill profile is identical across the Continental GT coupé and GTC convertible on this platform — a single part number covers both. Engine specifications covered include the W12 6.0L twin-turbo and the V8 4.0L twin-turbo facelift; the sill geometry is independent of powertrain. Not interchangeable with the D2A second-generation Continental GT (post-2011), which has a different sill profile, lower body geometry, and clip positions. LHD and RHD cars share a symmetric sill section — one SKU covers both steering configurations. Lower lip clearance: approximately 130 mm at standard ride height, 145 mm with air suspension raised.

Installation & Reversibility

Installation time is 1.5–2 hours per side for an experienced body shop. Remove the OEM sill cladding by releasing seven spring clips with a trim-clip tool — no drilling or cutting required. Clean the sill flange with isopropyl alcohol, apply 3M VHB tape at the front and rear transition points, offer the skirt to the sill, and engage the seven OEM clip sockets. Run a gap gauge along the door-to-skirt join to verify 3.0–3.5 mm before fully seating the clips. Fully reversible: all clips release cleanly with the same trim-clip tool, VHB tape releases from lacquered surfaces with the dental-floss unwrap method. No permanent modification to the car body. After fitting, perform a clearance check in air suspension low mode. Skirts ship as a matched left/right pair, crated with clip hardware and fitting notes.

Pairing within the Mansory Continental GT 3W Programme

The side skirts are the aerodynamic and visual midpoint of the Mansory 3W kit, channelling airflow from front to rear and tying the widened bodywork into a coherent programme. At the nose, the Mansory carbon front bumper with front lip initiates underbody airflow management; the side skirts extend it along the sill; and the Mansory rear bumper with diffuser I completes the sealed floor loop at the tail. For a coupé build targeting a clean, wing-free roofline, pairing the front bumper, side skirts, and rear decklid spoiler creates the minimal-intervention widebody: maximum visual transformation, no biplane wing, and balanced aero visual weight front to back.

Maintenance & Durability

Side skirts receive more stone-chip, salt spray, and water contact than any other panel in the kit. Ceramic coating — a 9H product applied to the cured clear lacquer — is strongly recommended on the outer face and lower lip before road use. It provides chip resistance, repels contamination, and makes cleaning significantly easier. Inspect the lower lip edge seasonally for micro-cracks; if found, a spot lacquer repair takes approximately 20 minutes and prevents moisture wicking into the laminate. Avoid stiff-bristle brushes on the lower lip and acute-angle high-pressure washing. Rinse road salt promptly after winter driving — not because chloride ions attack carbon, but because salt residue accelerates any micro-chip lacquer damage into active paths. With UV-protective topcoat and periodic ceramic maintenance, lacquer clarity holds for 10–14 years; the carbon body itself carries no structural service life limitation under normal road use.

Lead Time & Warranty

Side skirts ship as a matched left/right pair. Clear-lacquered pairs: 2–4 weeks from order. Primer-finish or colour-matched pairs: additional 1–2 weeks. 12-month Mansory warranty against delamination, structural voids, and fitment dimensional failure from delivery date. Stone-chip lacquer damage is wear-and-tear and is not covered, but Mansory can supply touch-up lacquer kits matched to the finish specification on request.

FAQ

Q: Do the side skirts reduce road clearance significantly?
A: The Mansory skirts extend approximately 28 mm below the OEM sill cladding's lower edge. At standard ride height, approximately 130 mm of clearance remains — adequate for normal road use. In air suspension low mode, clearance reduces to approximately 90 mm; owners who regularly navigate speed humps in low mode should raise suspension before doing so.

Q: Can I order just one skirt if the other side is damaged?
A: Yes — individual left or right skirts are available. However, subtle batch-to-batch weave variation can be visible in direct sunlight. Mansory recommends ordering pairs where possible, and requests both side requirements at inquiry so the production team can batch-match where stock allows.

Q: Are the skirts compatible with Continental GT Speed and Supersports variants?
A: Yes. The 3W sill profile and OEM clip positions are identical across the standard, Speed, and Supersports variants on the 2003–2011 platform. The Supersports' wider rear track is addressed by the Mansory widebody rear fender programme; the side skirts fit identically regardless of rear fender specification.

Q: What finish suits Glacier White or Beluga Black?
A: For Glacier White, gloss lacquered carbon provides dramatic light-play contrast; satin is more restrained. For Beluga Black, satin carbon creates subtle tonal depth in a monochromatic palette, while gloss creates a high-contrast graphic for overtly modified builds. Reference photos for both finishes on either colour are available on request via WhatsApp.

Q: How do the skirts interact with OEM mudflaps or arch extensions?
A: The 3W Continental GT was not standard-fitted with mudflaps, though some regional examples carried dealer-fit mudflaps sharing sill clip points. Any such items must be removed before skirt installation as the clip positions cannot accommodate both. The Mansory widebody fender programme addresses the spray-management role mudflaps serve, and the skirt geometry provides a secondary spray-reduction benefit as a consequence of the sill seal it creates.

Order your matched pair of Mansory carbon side skirts for the Continental GT 3W via WhatsApp +44 7488 818 747 or [email protected] — state your model year, body style (GT or GTC), and preferred finish.