FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Forget the stereotype of the heavy stately British sedan with the fussy guy in the backseat, asking for some Grey Poupon. The new Bentley Continental Supersports is a different animal, except maybe for the heavy part. While it’s still a porker, at 4,800 pounds, the Supersports is built, oddly enough, for going very fast. Like, 204 mph fast. Outfitted with a sports suspension that can be set for a “comfort” ride as well, it’s the ultimate His and Hers car. He tears it up late nights on the tollway; she glides in it to the Chanel Boutique in HPV the next day.
BOTTOM LINE: Based on Bentley’s Continental GT, the all-wheel-drive Supersports has been trimmed down—and tuned up–to enable some un-Bentley-like performance. (Indeed, the entire rear seat has been removed to hold down the weight.) Think carbon-shelled racing bucket seats; huge, carbon-ceramic brakes; and gloss-black, 20-inch wheels, and you begin to get the idea.
The strategy pays off behind the 3-spoke, hide-trimmed steering wheel. A 6-speed, automatic “quickshift” transmission gets paired in the Supersports with a 6-liter, 12-cylinder powerplant, generating an unbelievable 621 horses and 590 pound-feet of torque. The result: zero to 60 in just 3.7 seconds.
The interior’s no laggard, either, with electronic climate controls, a rear-view camera, and ultra-soft cowhide surfaces. One surprise: the manual seat adjustments. While that’s in keeping with the racing motif, it’s also a little shocking in a car costing—wait for it—more than $273,000.
TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY: A so-called “fusion of extremes,” this coupe will be considered way too expensive, and maybe too menacing-looking, by some. They should consider thriftier, less threatening rides. Alternatively, as one of our valet parkers remarked of this fastest Bentley ever: “It is swee-eee-eet!” If you’re a “performance” nut who likes your cars unique—and can afford to pay the price of a nice little Oak Lawn condo—the Bentley Supersports may be just your cup of (English) tea.
