Bentley has lifted the lid on its all-new Continental GT Supersports. Limited to 500 examples, this performance-orientated variant is about maximising driver involvement and, as such, offers a considerable weight saving over the standard model.
By deleting complex all-wheel drive and hybrid systems, the Crewe-based outfit has managed to cut kerb weight by nearly 500kg.
Further aiding the cause is the use of lightweight materials: while the roof is fashioned from carbon fibre, the rear cabin has been removed, along with a reduction in insulative materials and the excision of unneeded driver-assistance systems.
While weight is down, downforce has been cranked way up thanks to an aggressive new body kit engineered to keep the Continental GT Supersports better stuck to the asphalt.
Constructed from carbon fibre, key elements include:
- a redesigned lower front bumper with an integrated splitter;
- two pairs of stacked dive planes;
- new side sills running the length of the wheelbase;
- unique B-shaped fender blades that extract high-pressure air from the front arches;
- a new rear diffuser; and
- a large, one-piece fixed rear spoiler.
Together, Bentley says these additions generate more than 300kg of downforce over a Continental GT Speed, while maintaining lift balance along the car and helping achieve a dynamic weight distribution that starts at 54:46 when stationary and moves rearward as speed increases.
Speaking of speed, Bentley’s flagship model is powered by a bespoke 4.0l twin-turbocharged cross-plane V8 built with a stronger crankcase, uprated cylinder heads, larger turbos and a full-length Akrapovič titanium exhaust.
Producing 490kW and 800Nm, it’s paired with an eight-speed ZF dual-clutch transmission upgraded with stronger clutches and mapping designed to deliver sharper, more responsive shifts. Straight-line performance is nothing short of emphatic: 0–100km/h in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of about 310km/h.
To help put its power down, the Continental GT Supersports features a reworked rear end with a widened track (+16mm) and an eLSD assisted by the marque’s torque-vectoring-by-brake system. Rear-wheel steering is retained for added agility and stability, while steering, suspension, traction management and ESC calibrations are all new.
The ESC allows drivers to tailor the level of intervention, from fully on, through a Dynamic mode that permits controlled slip and oversteer, to fully off for complete freedom over the rear axle.
Bentley has also added three new configurations to the Drive Dynamics Controller:
- Touring mode mirrors the performance character of Sport in the Continental GT Speed but pairs it with increased ride height, softer damping and a more subdued exhaust note;
- Bentley mode increases performance beyond Touring through more aggressive gearbox, throttle and chassis mapping, while Sport mode ramps everything up for maximum response.
On the chassis front, the Supersports uses aluminium double wishbones at the front with a multi-link rear axle, air springs and new twin-chamber dampers, with bump and rebound controlled independently by the ECU. Flat cornering is aided by a 48V electric anti-roll system capable of applying up to 1,300Nm of anti-roll torque in 0.3 seconds.
Mechanical grip comes courtesy of 22″ forged and machined aluminium alloy wheels developed with Manthey Racing. Offered in Black Painted or Black Painted and Machined finishes, they can be fitted with Pirelli P Zero or Trofeo RS tyres.
Braking is handled by huge 440mm carbon-silicon-carbide discs with 10-piston callipers up front and 410mm discs with four-piston callipers at the rear. Black callipers are standard, with red available as an option.
Inside, the motorsport-inspired cabin features lightweight sports seats with substantial side bolstering and 11-way electric adjustment. The rear seats are replaced by a carbon-fibre tub, while the dashboard and doors wear high-gloss carbon-fibre veneers. Leather/Dinamica upholstery, Supersports embroidery and an individually numbered centre-console badge round things off.
Bentley will officially launch the new Continental GT Supersports in Dubai in January. Customer orders open in March, with production set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 and first deliveries expected in early 2027. The Supersports will be offered exclusively in selected markets, including the UK, Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and across the Gulf region. Pricing will be confirmed closer to the time.
This article was first published in Business Day.
