Rear-wheel drive and a diet make this the most entertaining Continental to date, despite its lower power than its hybrid siblings.
Car enthusiasts spend a lot of time bemoaning the overall pattern of automobiles becoming larger, heavier, and more technologically advanced, then getting stronger to handle that weight, and then needing even more weight to deliver and manage the additional power. Engagement levels decline as curb weights rise. Almost all vehicles, including Super Duty pickup trucks and Corvettes, are the subject of our complaints.
Yes, I have driven Bentleys on racetracks in spite of this. Even when I am not around, you can occasionally spot them there, albeit they are usually parked in the paddock rather than pushing their way around the actual course. However, the GT Speed’s ability to perform a fourth-gear slide and the Continental V8 S’s ability to withstand a 30-minute track session at the challenging Sonoma Raceway with optional carbon-ceramic brakes would probably surprise you.
I gripe about it more than most people do. However, not all the time. Because Bentley is the one brand that always gets away with it. In my opinion, bulk is a feature rather than a drawback for the Continental GT and its brothers. To better separate the occupants from the outside world, everything aboard these vehicles is thicker, denser, strengthened, and stacked.
However, even if a Continental GT, GT S, or GT Speed will perform admirably in track work, they are not task-optimized. What about a Bentley that has been? Is it possible to transform it into a true, connected driver’s car that you would buy for a weekend drive in the canyon or take to a track day? Is it possible to reduce its weight and make it nearly light?
At Laguna Seca, I had the opportunity to drive the new Continental Supersports for the first time. I was only allowed to complete six circuits on the track with all of the active safety features turned on and a chaperone in the passenger seat, so this was hardly a thorough test. There would be no driving on the road. It was a brief but encouraging attempt.
The Supersports is the lightest Bentley road car in eighty-five years, in addition to being the lightest Continental GT ever. The last time a Bentley’s curb weight started with a three was over a century ago. The company claims that the Supersports is expected to weigh 1995 kilograms, or 4398 pounds, or slightly less than two metric tons, even though it has not yet received official certification. Did you just laugh a little because it is objectively not light to weigh about 4400 pounds? All right, but keep in mind that the modern Continental GT Speed weighs more than a thousand pounds more than the Supersports. The transition to rear-wheel drive and the removal of the plug-in hybrid system from the standard Conti represent the largest bulk savings, which is an amazing commitment.
With its deep chin splitter, wing, and rocker panels that evoke the Mustang Dark Horse, the Supersports has a unique appearance. The absence of the powered front axle, high-voltage battery pack, and rear seats has altered the center of mass, which is why the carbon body panels and aero components not only save weight but also aid in rebalancing the aerodynamics. Bentley claims to have up to 660 pounds more downforce than the GT Speed. The 22-inch forged alloy wheels, which are manufactured by Manthey and designed for both strength and lightness, also add an unusual Porsche crossover and lessen unsprung weight.
Compared to prior Contis, the front chairs are lower and lack massaging capabilities, but they now have deeper side bolsters and shoulder support. The rest of the car’s interior, which was completely two-tone and had dash inserts made of carbon fiber, is similar to that of the other Continental GT models. The James Bond-esque revolving center display panel was abandoned as part of the weight-saving plan, but round metal air vents with incredibly fluid-feeling plungers have remained.
Despite having a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine that produces 657 horsepower and 590 lb-ft on its own, the Supersports is the least powerful current-generation Continental without a plug-in hybrid powertrain, with all of that power traveling solely to the rear wheels. It is not the purpose to go from zero to sixty. However, depending on traction, it is also less than four seconds. This is improved by the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires I drove the vehicle on.
It also comes to an end. The Supersports features enormous braking power because to its 10-piston calipers and the largest carbon-ceramic disks on a road car, measuring 17.3 inches in diameter up front. Only little less crazy are the 16.1-inch rear disks with four-pot calipers. Twin-valve dampers for Tour and Sport drive modes are still part of the air suspension system. Rear-steering and an electronically controlled rear differential complete the expensive handling features, while a 48-volt active anti-roll system, similar to the standard Conti GT, keeps the body in check.
I started gathering impressions as soon as I touched the circuit because I did not have much time in the driver’s seat. The Supersports’ body immediately felt more securely fastened to its wheel hubs. Laguna’s curbs caused enough ripples in the wheel to accurately convey the surface’s roughness without being too strong. For a brief while, the brakes were also impressive. Hard, frequent stops on course did not cause significant fade.
It really wanted to slide. Even with the traction control active, the Supersports would step its rear end out while braking into a bend. Just over 650 horsepower is a lot to put on the back wheels of a front-engine vehicle. This was good, and I quickly discovered that it was constant with its degree of oversteer and that the best way to turn the car is to enter sideways. All I had to do was adjust the throttle and maintain the angle throughout the rest of the turn.
Unfortunately, though, I was unable to further influence the Supersports line with additional power because of the traction control, which was a huge buzzkill. In contrast to the more skilled traction management systems of Aston Martin, Ferrari, or McLaren, Bentley’s completely shut the power, correcting minor oversteer long before anything more thrilling could happen. I am aware that fully de-energized systems make modern all-wheel-drive Bentleys much more enjoyable, and I anticipate that the Supersports will be no different.
Let us talk about the new car’s handling of Laguna Seca’s circuits six through ten, where you absolutely want composure above sideways thrills: the Corkscrew, a fast, high-g curve, and one of the most terrifying off-camber downhill bends in racing. Here, the Supersports scored a lot of points by brutally taking the “Zanardi line” through the Corkscrew and expertly loading up the front right tire with a slight push across six. Additionally, the back end did not step out even though I had to apply the brakes before entering Turn 9; this behavior is only appropriate for the tighter, slower curves.
Manual shifting is a modern Continental’s one genuine weakness when it comes to driving on track. The dual-clutch gearbox’s control software insists on much more space than is strictly required to provide a downshift; it will not permit one that would push the engine closer to the top of its rpm range, even if it would be well below the limiter. Unfortunately, I was hoping that the Supersports would receive a special shift program to address this. My biggest dynamic complaint is still that you should wait to use the down paddle until the revs drop to about 3500 rpm. The Supersports’ V-8 has a gruff, baritone sound that is amazing whether driving or standing beside the track. However, the sound does not go very far; even a hundred yards away, you can hardly hear anything.
At the top of the Continental GT lineup, the Supersports is a limited edition that is priced appropriately. In addition to destination, delivery, and taxes, the base is $486,000. The split-color cockpit, the crazy Ombre paint, and many other minor upgrades are all far more expensive through Bentley’s Mulliner customisation department. For an automobile like this one, the final number should begin with a five, or even a six. Customers will be cross-shopping exotic items, possibly even investment-grade autos, because that is a significant enough quantity. Although Bentley claims that all 500 of the Supersports have already been sold, it is not a sensible purchase.
This is another evidence of the peculiar way the most opulent segment of the luxury market functions. Adding all the features, performance, and technology to a Bentley Continental GT is extremely expensive. Taking them out again is considerably more expensive.
