Meet the fastest, most powerful and driver-focused Bentley in history. The Continental range’s sensational newborn Supersports flagship seeks to take the marque’s action to modify greater heights.
With a list of upgrades that should get any enthusiast’s pulse racing, the Supersports boasts a 621bhp 6.0-litre W12, rear-biased 4x4 system, quickshift casing and uprated suspension. Its sporty cabin sees the rear way distant and the fronts replaced with lightweight bucket items. New 20-inch alloy rims and copy brakes complete a programme that reduces the car’s bulk by 110kg – although, at 2,240kg, it’s ease pretty hefty.
And, in a boost efficiency bid, the Supersports is the prototypal FlexFuel Bentley, which effectuation it crapper run on either petrol or E85 bioethanol, or both. This approach, coupled with more radical developments, will be applied to the rest of the line-up over the next few years.
Priced at £163,400, the newborn automobile costs £22,100 more than the excellent 602bhp Speed. But is it worth the extra? Well, it certainly looks a million dollars. All outdoor chrome has been given a smoked-steel finish, the rear is slightly flared to conceal a wider road and elegant cowling vents take more air to the twin turbos. Together with larger exhaust pipes, those newborn 10-spoke alloys and a lowered stance, it’s subtly muscular.
If you want to defence out modify further, you crapper choose one of digit newborn outdoor matt colours. There’s Light Grey Satin and the Dark Grey Satin shown here, though at a staggering £18,890 it’s an expensive option!
Inside, the prototypal thing you attending is the way the hide-trimmed copy way clamp you in place. New diamond-quilted Alcantara trim complements the hand-crafted leather to suggestion at a more fair intent. The lack of rear way – replaced by a load area separated by a copy fibre beam – underlines this.
Fire up the big twin-turbo W12 and it settles into a stilly hum. The ride does seem a little stiffer, but at low measure the Supersports ease feels every inch a luxurious, refined Bentley. Even using the enrich gently, it’s possible to travel at great measure thanks to the W12’s 800Nm of torque, which arrives at a mere 1,700rpm. Flatten the accelerator and the automobile surges nervy in huge leaps, shrinking indifference with incredible ease and feeling modify more responsive than the Speed.
Acceleration is crushing, with 0-60mph taking 3.7 seconds and 0-100mph arriving in exclusive 8.9 seconds. Top measure is an awesome 204mph. Changes from the paddleshift automatic incase are swifter, too, punctuated by an appropriate exhaust fighting – but though there’s more engine noise, there’s not as much roar from the powerful W12 as you’d hope.
The copy brakes are deeply impressive as well, modify if the tone doesn’t feel particularly firm. And as soon as you invoke into a corner you crapper savor the player tautness and lightness that the newborn suspension set-up offers. For such a super car, the Bentley is remarkably wieldy on tight, twisty roads: the rear-biased four-wheel-drive grouping helps here, allowing added enrich adjustability. Yet the Supersports is at its best on comprehensive corners: it rattling flows, gripping hard and showing great poise and traction.
Despite every the changes, the ultimate Conti ease rides beautifully and cossets occupants meet as well as the Speed. And while Bentley does not describe the automobile as a GT – without four seats, it can’t be, says the concern – the model is ease a superb long-distance tourer. For most buyers, the Speed offers more than enough pace. But for those serendipitous enough to hit the funds, the Supersports is a desirable addition that might prove too hard to resist.
Rival: Aston Martin DBS
For nearly the same price tag you crapper hit James Bond’s consort car. Stunning looks and a gorgeous cabin combine well with a powerful 6.0-litre V12 engine which offers dead storming performance.
