The New Bentley Continental Supersports
Bentley has announced its fastest and most powerful
production model to date: the new Bentley Continental
Supersports.
A top speed of 209 mph (336 km/h) and a 0-60 mph time
of 3.4 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds) make the new
Continental Supersports the world’s fastest and most powerful
luxury four-seat car.
Similarly, its soft-top sibling, the Continental Supersports
Convertible, is the fastest four-seat convertible in the world,
despatching the sprint to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds (0-100 km/h
in 3.9 secs) on its way to a 205 mph (330 km/h) top speed.
Bentley’s mighty W12 engine, redeveloped for the Supersports
with new high-performance turbos and engine hardware, and
a torque vectoring system create a Continental Supersports as
agile as it is powerful. Meanwhile, unique styling cues inside
and out give the new model a sharpened athletic appearance
highlighting its performance potential.
As well as offering supercar pace and a highly focused driving
experience, there is no compromise in the refined nature
of the Continental’s ride quality. This fusion of extremes in
luxury and performance make the Supersports the ultimate
iteration of a model that has come to define and dominate the
grand touring genre.
Wolfgang Dürheimer, chairman and chief executive of
Bentley Motors, said: "The Supersports name is legendary at
Bentley. From the very first Supersports of the 1920s, to the
Continental Supersports of 2009 – and now with the third
iteration of this iconic model – it is a name which excites,
impassions and thrills. Only Bentley could create a car which
blends immense performance and unrivalled luxury in this
way.”
38 | The Gentleman Magazine
Extreme Power and Torque; Stand-Out Performance
A bespoke drivetrain fe aturing Bentley’s W12 engine
combines extreme power and torque to offer exhilarating
performance.
Key to the Supersports’ additional outputs are newly designed,
higher-capacity turbochargers and a revised charge-air
cooling system which create more boost and additional
power. In order to harness these additional outputs, upgrades
have also been made to the Continental’s cranktrain,
including new main and conrod bearings.
These extensive engine revisions result in an increase of 80 PS
(79 bhp) and 217 Nm (160 lb.ft.) over the 2009 Supersports
model – a 10 percent power-to-weight and 25 percent torque-
to-weight ratio improvement. The top speed rises by five
miles per hour (and the 0-60 mph time drops by 0.3 seconds).
The Supersports also benefits from a new torque converter
which locks up faster allowing the car to make best use of
the enhanced torque figure of 1,017 Nm (750 lb. ft.), and
accelerate from standstill even more rapidly.
In order to rein in this immense performance the new
Supersports is fitted with high-performance carbon ceramic
brakes with enhanced cooling. The brake discs are the largest
of their type in the world, providing excellent performance
with minimal fade under extreme conditions.
The brakes sit behind lightweight 21” forged alloy wheels,
together offering a 20 kg weight saving in unsprung mass.
A further 5 kg weight-saving is offered via an optional
titanium exhaust system. The new Supersports is the lightest-
ever iteration of the current Continental GT and lighter than
the 2009 four-seat Supersports model.