New Rear-wheel-drive Continental Supersports Is The Most 'hell Yeah, Brother' Bentley Yet

Bentley

Back successful 2009, a half-dozen years into the first-generation Bentley Continental GT's accumulation run, nan British automaker introduced nan Continental Supersports, an unexpected exemplary that really group Bentley connected a much performance-oriented course. Bentley tuned up nan car's W12, trim down its hefty curb weight, and fitted it pinch each sorts of nosy features for illustration carbon-backed bucket seats taken from nan Bugatti Veyron. The Supersports had a wholly different, overmuch little Bentley-like characteristic than nan modular Continental, and it was simply awesome. At nan extremity of nan second-gen Conti's accumulation successful 2017 Bentley introduced a caller Supersports variant, pinch nan aforesaid benignant of upgrades arsenic nan original and styling that pulled from nan then-in-competition GT3 title car. That Supersports was cool too, but it didn't person nan aforesaid effect arsenic nan original.

Since nan current-generation Continental GT debuted successful 2018, I've been waiting patiently for Bentley to travel retired pinch different Supersports. That clip has yet arrived, and nan caller Continental Supersports is moreover much utmost than I hoped. Not only does it ditch the facelifted Conti's plug-in-hybrid system, but for nan first clip successful nan model's history this caller Supersports is rear-wheel drive, and it's besides nan first clip nan Continental GT has weighed little than 2 metric tonnes, each done pinch nan extremity of nan car being arsenic engaging and nosy to thrust arsenic possible. Put succinctly, this is nan astir "hell yeah, brother" Bentley yet.

Bentley

The caller Supersports was nan first task overseen from commencement to decorativeness by chairman and CEO Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, who joined nan institution past twelvemonth aft moving successful caller conveyance improvement astatine Porsche. A mini squad of Bentley engineers first had nan thought for a lighter rear-drive Continental in September 2024, and aft support was fixed to build a trial mule, a car deed nan way conscionable six weeks later. That prototype's capacity was apparently truthful convincing that nan car was green-lit, pinch nan task being kept nether adjacent guard.

Walliser says nan caller Supersports "signifies a return to Bentley making much utmost cars – ones that harvester bonzer breadth of expertise pinch existent driver engagement, while remaining pieces of automotive artwork unsocial and bespoke to each customer." Only 500 of nan Supersports will beryllium made, and owners will beryllium capable to prime which number they want, pinch that number displayed connected a plaque connected nan dashboard.

Bentley

With its facelift for 2025 nan Continental GT dropped not only nan optional W12 but besides nan guidelines twin-turbo V8, replacing them some pinch a plug-in-hybrid powertrain utilizing that V8 successful different states of tune. For nan caller Supersports, though, that hybrid strategy is tossed retired nan window. Like pinch the caller Bentayga Speed you get a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, but acknowledgment to bigger turbos, a stronger crankcase and uprated cylinder heads, nan Supersports is moreover much powerful, making 657 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. That's a beautiful awesome output fixed that the entry-level PHEV has 671 hp and 685 lb-ft, and the now-discontinued nonhybrid V8 only put retired 542 hp and 568 lb-ft. Unique to nan Supersports is simply a titanium exhaust developed pinch Akrapovič that is "deep, powerful and wholly authentic" — nary piped-in aliases artificial sound here.

To grip each that twist going to conscionable nan rear wheels, nan ZF 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission gets caller clutches and updated programming for upshifts that are sharper and much responsive and accrued stableness erstwhile downshifting nether braking. Bentley says nan Supersports will tally from 0 to 62 mph successful 3.7 seconds, which is damn speedy for a rear-wheel-drive car — that's conscionable 2 tenths disconnected nan guidelines PHEV, and it's three-tenths quicker than nan aged V8 AWD model. Top velocity is 192 mph.

Bentley

An physics limited-slip differential astatine nan rear is augmented by brake-based torque vectoring, and nan Supersports retains nan normal Continental's rear-wheel-steering system. The rear way is 0.6 inch wider, and nan steering, suspension, and traction and stableness power systems get unsocial calibration. Bentley's fantabulous Dynamic Ride 48-volt electrical anti-roll strategy is included, and nan aerial springs person caller twin-chamber dampers that person independently controlled bump and rebound. Also coming are nan largest brakes of immoderate car connected sale, pinch 17.3-inch discs and 10-piston calipers up front, and 16.1-inch discs pinch four-piston calipers successful nan rear. 

Drivers tin spell from having nan ESC wholly on, to a Dynamic mode that "allows a level of gaffe and oversteer wrong reactive limits," to turning it disconnected completely, wherever nan car tin beryllium "provoked into important but highly controllable oversteer." The car's Touring thrust mode is balanced to Sport mode successful normal Continental GTs, but pinch softer damping and a quieter exhaust note; Bentley mode sharpens up powertrain and chassis responses while opening nan exhaust valves, and nan Sport mode is moreover much intense. New 22-inch wheels were developed pinch Manthey Racing, and customers tin take betwixt modular Pirelli P-Zero tires aliases a caller Trofeo RS option, nan second of which make nan Supersports capable to area 30% quicker than a GT Speed PHEV, pulling up to 1.3 g successful highest lateral force.

Bentley

Bentley says nan Supersports is "nearly half a tonne" (about 1,102 pounds) lighter than nan normal Continental GT, but past that's because it's being compared to nan caller heavier PHEVs. Still, it'll beryllium nan first Continental GT to measurement little than 4,409 pounds (two tonnes), much than 300 pounds little than nan pre-facelift Continental GT pinch its nonhybrid V8. The Supersports' tile is c fibre alternatively of aluminum, nan rear seats person been deleted, there's little compartment sound insulation, nan audio strategy was redesigned for conscionable nan beforehand passengers, and Bentley ditched immoderate of nan driver-assistance systems.

Bentley

Looking astatine nan Supersports' exterior, there's nary denying it's Bentley's astir outrageous creation yet. Its grille is laser-cut from good aluminum, and nan beforehand bumper has a carbon-fiber splitter, nan brand's largest ever. Two cooling channels connected each broadside of nan bumper provender aerial to nan brakes and engine, and stacked dive planes up of nan beforehand wheels trim lift. B-shaped fender blades conscionable down nan beforehand wheels extract high-pressure aerial and negociate travel on nan body, and much melodramatic broadside skirts tally nan magnitude of nan wheelbase. At nan rear there's a caller diffuser, a caller bumper pinch vents successful nan instrumentality arches, and a fixed spoiler connected apical of nan trunk lid.

Bentley says nary of those parts are present simply for artistic reasons — each of those modifications summation downforce by much than 661 pounds compared to nan Continental GT Speed. They besides thief pinch a move weight distribution, which is astatine 54:46 erstwhile nan car is stopped but gradually moves rearward arsenic nan car gains speed. 24 "performance-focused" colors will beryllium disposable astatine launch, on pinch 5 Design Themes that characteristic contrasting colors and painted stripes. Of course, you'll besides beryllium capable to do civilization specs successful immoderate colour you want.

The driver and rider get caller lightweight seats pinch much salient broadside bolsters, mounted little successful nan cabin. Don't worry, they're still 11-way adjustable and are heated. In spot of nan deleted rear seats is simply a wraparound carbon-fiber sheet pinch leather accents that's nicely integrated successful nan interior design. As modular you get carbon-fiber trim (two kinds of aluminum aliases soft achromatic is optional), a operation of leather and Dinamica suede, and plentifulness of Supersports badges. Bentley will connection 22 main hide colors, 11 secondary hide colors, and 9 accent hide colors, and location will beryllium single-tone, duo-tone, and tri-tone colour splits.

Bentley

While it isn't talking value yet, Bentley says that bid books will unfastened successful March, pinch accumulation starting successful Q4 2026 and first deliveries commencing astatine nan commencement of 2027. In summation to being constricted to conscionable 500 cars, it won't beryllium disposable everyplace — nan institution says nan Supersports will beryllium sold successful nan U.S., the UK, Europe (EU27 positive Switzerland and Turkey), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Oman, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait.