Launching The New Bentley Continental Supersports

Flying towards a fairly sunny Portugal, mr.goodlife touched down in Lisbon for the launch of Bentley’s latest creation, the Continental Supersports and the fastest Bentley ever.

The main attraction is not only the fastest 4 seater coupe and convertible in the world, but the fastest Bentley ever built. The numbers I’m about to share with you are fairly shocking so hold tight. With a renewed version of the companies incredible 6.0 litre twin turbocharged W12, the coupe does a maximum speed of 209mph and will shoot from 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds, more impressively 0-100mph in 7.2 seconds. It has an incredible 700 bhp under the hood and a combined 710 units will be produced (coupe and convertible). However, the most incredible performance statistic is on torque… Delivered to the road by Bentley’s new torque vectoring system, Paul Jones and his team were able to generate over 1000nm of torque; 1017nm to be exact and you can feel the full amount kick in from 2000rpm upwards. Sensational The Convertible has a top speed of 205mph and will get from 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds. The drop top has an amazing soundtrack with that W12 engine burbling away so elegantly and we would recommend it for those long summer road trips.

What is it like to drive?

Driving even the normal models within the continental range, you will always pick up on the serene, luxurious environment inside the car. The comfort, power and agile performance are all traits of the Continental bloodline. When you step into a new Supersports, all of those traits are very much present, except the performance factor is turned up to an incredible height. Its like nothing you’ve experienced before.

With a weight of 2280kg, (2455kg for the convertible) this is the most agile and dynamic car in the lineup and I believe in its class. When we took it around Estoril Circuit, we were able to explore the extreme dynamism of this freak GT and I have to say, it was impressive. The torque vectoring system, which has been evolved from the earlier system in the GT3-R lightly brakes the inner front and rear wheels to equally distribute torque to the chassis. This ensures maximum acceleration and confidence in handling when exiting a corner. The ride is slightly stiffer now and you actually get the feeling of a sports car when the car is in Sports Mode. The exhaust note now comes with added bangs and rifle-like pops, especially more noticeable on downshifts, which adds extreme character to the Supersports.

To sum it up the car is an extreme performance orientated vehicle but it still scores top marks on ride comfort and endurance. You could literally cross continents in this car with minimal worries thanks to the seats, which are heated/ventilated/incredibly adjustable and now feature alcantara to save weight. There is no comprise on the usual Bentley glamour and quality craftsmanship from the wheel to the seating to the dash and instrument clusters. The Naim speakers deliver crisp, rich audio and every finish on the car is quality to the sight and touch. It is all these details which add to a magnificent drive and an enjoyable experience.

We were also privileged to have a chat with Mr. Dürheimer, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors. He filled us in on the history of the Supersports and the amazing story dating back to the original Bentley 3 Litre; The Supersports variant was capable of 100mph in a time when cars would only reach 50mph. The principle of the Supersports and the nature of it as a car is simply to be the fastest. They have certainly achieved this with the new Continental Supersports

During our route in Lisbon we covered over 400km and got a chance to experience both the coupe and convertible. In terms of cars, this one should have its own category. Maybe we should deem it a “Super GT”. Yes, I like that. Thank you to our friends at Bentley for taking care of us and allowing us to get behind the wheel of a car which pushes the boundaries of automotive spirit and engineering. The Coupe starts at £212,500 and more information on the Supersports can be found over at Bentley Motors.