Bentley Supersports: When a Luxury Car Decides to Behave Like a Sports Coupé
Bentley has lifted the cover off the most radical Continental in its history. The new Supersports abandons all-wheel drive and hybrid assistance in favour of rear-wheel drive, drops its weight below two tonnes, and aims for one thing only — pure driver engagement.
Under the bonnet lies a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 producing 666 bhp and 800 Nm of torque. All of it goes to the rear wheels via a dual-clutch gearbox, with not a hint of electrical support. The result: 0–100 km/h in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of around 310 km/h. It’s old-school performance, amplified by an Akrapovič titanium exhaust that makes no attempt to hide its presence.
Bentley has trimmed nearly half a tonne from the car and reworked the chassis so it can sustain 1.3 g of lateral grip through corners. The weight-saving comes courtesy of a carbon-fibre roof, Manthey Racing forged wheels, and ceramic brakes — a combination that makes this feel closer to a race car than a gentleman’s express.
Inside, there’s room for two. The rear seats are gone, replaced by a sculpted carbon-and-leather panel. Every surface, switch and display faces the driver, not the passenger. Each Supersports is individually numbered, and only 500 units will be built.
The Supersports badge celebrates a century since Bentley’s first Super Sports model. Earlier versions chased top speed; this one celebrates the bond between human and machine. The project’s internal codename, Mildred, pays tribute to Mildred Mary Petre, a fearless racer from the 1920s who inspired its spirit.
Bentley keeps talking about its electric future, but the Supersports is a reminder of what made the marque legendary in the first place. It’s deliberately irrational, loud, and unapologetically mechanical — a last, glorious salute to the romance of internal combustion. Which is precisely why it may be the most desirable Bentley of the modern era.
