100 years after the delivery of the primary Bentley ‘Tremendous Sports activities’, the nameplate returns to Bentley for less than the fourth Supersports mannequin in historical past.
The brand new Bentley Supersports is essentially the most driver-focused Continental GT ever, with rear-wheel drive, a two-seat cabin and a gross weight under two tonnes.
The outside represents essentially the most purposeful Continental GT ever, with a sequence of developments to maximise downforce and save weigh
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A brand new entrance bumper integrates the most important entrance splitter ever fitted to a Bentley street automotive, and feeds cooling air to the engine and entrance brakes.
Carbon fiber dive planes, facet sills, fender blades and a rear diffuser and stuck rear wing mix to generate greater than 300 kg extra downforce than a Continental GT Pace.
The burden saving regime extends to the roof, which is now a carbon fiber panel to additionally decrease heart of gravity while sustaining structural stiffness
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A non-hybrid, pure inner combustion powertrain has a brand new 666 PS (657 bhp), 800 Nm twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 at its coronary heart, with energy fed by way of an eight-speed double clutch gearbox to the rear wheels solely.
Carbon ceramic brakes, new 22” light-weight cast wheels developed with Manthey Racing and an Akrapovič full-length titanium exhaust system are commonplace, whereas Pirelli Trofeo RS tires can be found.
Inside, the two-seat cabin options new, extremely bolstered sports activities seats, positioned decrease within the automotive, with the rear cabin setting changed with a carbon fiber and leather-based shell. Monotone, duo-tone and tri-tone interiors can be found, with in depth use of leather-based, Dinamica and carbon fiber.
Order opening follows in March, with manufacturing starting in This autumn 2026 forward of first deliveries firstly of 2027.
From the official Press Launch:
Exterior Design
The brand new Supersports is sort of half a tonne lighter than the Continental GT, and can weigh lower than 2000 kg. Essentially the most vital weight saving comes from the powertrain, with a discount commensurate with the conversion to ICE-only propulsion and rear-wheel drive. The roof – normally aluminium – has been changed with a carbon fibre panel, which saves weight and lowers the general centre of gravity.
The rear cabin setting has been deleted, saving a big quantity of weight. Together with the seats and seatbelts, rear cabin sound insulation has been diminished, and the audio system has been reconfigured for the entrance cabin solely. Extra weight financial savings come the deletion of sure driver help techniques, not required on a driver-focused GT.
The brand new exterior particulars of the automotive mix to make this essentially the most aggressive Bentley Grand Tourer ever. Crafting new parts in carbon fibre helped cut back weight additional to fulfill the goal, with new items together with:
- A brand new decrease entrance bumper, with an built-in entrance splitter (the biggest aerodynamic splitter ever fitted to a road-going Bentley). The bumper contains two new cooling channels both sides, that feed cool air to the entrance brakes and engine respectively. Above the bumper, a brand new light-weight mesh grille, with a design distinctive to Supersports, is laser lower in extraordinarily nice aluminium
- Two pairs of stacked dive planes sit on the corners of the entrance bumper, working together with the splitter to scale back entrance carry
- New facet sills, working the size of the wheelbase
- Behind the entrance wheels, new B-shaped fender blades handle the airflow from the entrance wheel arches, aiding each extraction of high-pressure air and managing its stream alongside the physique facet.
- A brand new rear diffuser, constructed into an all-new rear bumper building that features vents for the rear wheel arches
- A one piece, fastened rear spoiler to the highest of the boot lid
These aerodynamic items are all the results of in depth testing, with kind following operate, and no parts included only for aesthetic functions. Collectively, the additions generate greater than 300 kg extra downforce than a Continental GT Pace, whereas sustaining carry stability alongside the automotive and serving to to attain a dynamic weight distribution, which begins at 54:46 when the automotive is stationary and steadily strikes rearward with velocity.
The ultimate ending carbon fibre touches are the wing mirrors and engine cowl.
Undertaking Mildred
The brand new Supersports is the product of an concept that was first proposed in September 2024, when a small engineering workforce theorised how a rear-wheel drive, sub-two-tonne Continental GT would possibly behave dynamically. Approval was given for them to construct one take a look at mule, which took to the monitor solely six weeks later, to show their idea. The efficiency of this key demonstrator was convincing, and the undertaking to create the brand new Supersports was born – albeit underneath shut guard and with a small and targeted engineering workforce.
It was instantly recognised that the undertaking wanted a codename to maintain it secret. For this, the workforce turned to inspiration from Bentley’s previous, and the story of Mildred Mary Petre. Born in 1895, she was a file breaker on land, and sea and within the air as a racing driver, a powerboat racer and a pilot. In 1929, she drove a Bentley 4½ Litre across the Montlhery circuit in France, solo, for twenty-four hours. In so doing, she averaged virtually 90 mph and established a brand new endurance file – an outstanding achievement by at present’s requirements however much more unbelievable within the Twenties. She pushed the boundaries of what was doable with a fearless spirit, and so in her honour, the event workforce christened their new undertaking: Mildred.
A Lineage of Efficiency
The phrase Supersports is a contemporary amalgamation of one of the vital evocative names from Bentley historical past – “Tremendous Sports activities” – first utilized to a Bentley 100 years in the past this 12 months. The primary Tremendous Sports activities was launched in 1925 and based mostly on the three Litre, with an uprated engine and shorter (and subsequently lighter) chassis that means it was the primary Bentley able to exceeding 100 mph. It additionally established the second side that defines “Tremendous Sports activities” – rarity, with solely 18 examples constructed.
Dormant for many years, the Supersports identify – now one phrase – roared again to life in 2009 with a 204-mph revival, defining the head mannequin of the first-generation Continental GT. This was the primary two-seat variant of the Continental household, was 100 kg lighter than the usual automotive, and essentially the most driver-focused Bentley of the day.
It was eclipsed in 2017 by an excellent sooner, extra thrilling successor, based mostly on the second-generation Continental GT. Like the primary era Continental Supersports it was powered by a 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12, however now producing 710 PS – making it then essentially the most highly effective Bentley ever. 710 examples have been produced, to match the facility output.
The earlier generations of Supersports all outlined the final word efficiency model of their respective mannequin households. The brand new Supersports takes this strategy in a special route; reasonably than specializing in high velocity, the goal is most driver engagement, by way of a mix of weight discount – essentially the most excessive in Bentley’s historical past – and a brand new powertrain.
The First RWD Continental GT
The powertrain of the brand new Supersports is non-hybrid and purely Inside Combustion Engine (ICE). A brand new, strengthened 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 is the guts of the automotive – with a stronger crankcase, uprated cylinder heads and bigger turbos. The modifications yield the very best energy density of any Bentley engine – 666 PS / 657 bhp (166.5 PS per litre), with 800 Nm of torque. Coupled to the engine is the ZF eight-speed double clutch transmission used throughout the Bentley mannequin vary, however redeveloped for the Supersports with uprated clutches and a brand new shifting technique. Gear shifts at the moment are sharper and extra responsive, whereas the downshift technique throughout braking has been exactly calibrated to ship optimum stability and driver confidence.
The engine breathes although a full-length titanium exhaust which is tuned to be considerably extra characterful than any earlier Bentley. Developed together with Bentley companions Akrapovič and distinctive to Supersports, the whole system amplifies and tunes the cross-plane V8 word to be extraordinarily compelling – deep, highly effective and utterly genuine, with no synthetic in-cabin enhancement.
The dash to 62 mph / 100 km/h shall be dispatched in 3.7 seconds, and high velocity shall be circa 192 mph / 310 km/h (official verified figures will comply with in the end). Extra essential that the headline figures although, shall be how the Supersports behaves dynamically.
For that, Bentley’s chassis engineers have loved the chance for a brand new stage of driver engagement, by making the brand new Supersports the primary rear-wheel drive Continental – aside from the Continental GT3 race vehicles – in historical past. Energy is fed completely to the rear wheels by way of an eLSD, out to rear wheels which have an elevated monitor of 16 mm over a Continental GT. The eLSD is assisted by torque vectoring by brake, with the techniques working collectively to make turn-in as sharp as doable and to offer most traction. Rear-wheel steering is retained for max agility and stability, whereas the calibrations for the steering, suspension, traction administration and ESC techniques are all-new.
ESC settings enable the driving force to pick how a lot independence or help they would like – from fully-on, by way of a Dynamic Mode that enables a stage of slip and oversteer inside reactive limits, to fully-off – the place the driving force has full management of the rear axle, and may provoke the Supersports into vital however extremely controllable oversteer.
There are three new configurations to the Drive Dynamics Controller:
- Touring mode matches the efficiency character of the Sport mode in a Continental GT Pace, however pairs it with elevated journey top, softer damping and a extra discrete exhaust character.
- Bentley mode will increase the efficiency character past Touring mode, with gearbox technique, throttle pedal and chassis settings all uplifted. Exhaust system valves open to boost sound character, and launch management turns into accessible.
- Sport mode goes even additional, with final optimisation for driver engagement and tuned for max chassis and powertrain response.
The chassis system makes use of aluminium double wishbones on the entrance with a multi-link rear axle, air springs, and new twin chamber dampers – ECU-controlled in bump and rebound independently. Bentley Dynamic Journey, the proprietary 48V electrical anti-roll management system, can apply as much as 1300 Nm of anti-roll response torque in 0.3 seconds. Braking is by the biggest automotive braking system on the planet – 440 mm Carbon-Silicon-Carbide (CSiC) discs on the entrance axle, clamped by 10-piston calipers, and 410 mm discs with four-piston calipers on the rear – fitted as commonplace. Calipers are black as commonplace, with a red-painted possibility accessible.
The Supersports comes with new, 22” cast and machined aluminium enable wheels developed together with specialists Manthey Racing, accessible in two finishes – Black Painted, and Black Painted and Machined (introducing a silver steel accent). Uniquely for the Supersports, two tyre choices can be found: a typical Pirelli P-Zero tyre, and a brand new Trofeo RS efficiency tyre as an possibility. With Trofeo RS tyres fitted, the chassis modifications and weight financial savings imply that the Supersports can nook roughly 30% faster than a Continental GT Pace, with as much as 1.3g peak lateral power.
A Sporting Cabin
The inside of the brand new Supersports is as purposeful as the remainder of the automotive, impressed by the vitality and precision of motorsport. Two-seat solely, it completes the concentrate on driver engagement that’s the singular mission assertion of the automotive. Each particulars is engineering to raise the driving expertise, redefining performance-focused luxurious.
New light-weight sports activities seats are supplied for the driving force and one passenger, with elevated lateral bolstering, a decrease place within the automotive and carbon parts throughout the shoulder space. The seats characteristic 11-way electrical adjustment and retain seat heating. The rear cabin is changed by a light-weight and precision engineering carbon fibre tub that wraps across the area. Completed with a leather-based wraparound design, the bathtub integrates into the remainder of the cabin and delivers a cleaner, extra purposeful inside structure.
Light-weight and excessive gloss carbon fibre veneers to the waistrails and fascia panels are commonplace, joined by a mix of leather-based and Dinamica, with the latter technical materials to the centres of the seat backs and seat cushions, the centre panels of the doorways and the headlining. Supersports embroidery and badging completes the cabin, along with an individually numbered badge to the centre console.
Numbered, Particular person, Bespoke
Each Supersports shall be individually numbered earlier than it leaves the manufacturing unit, with clients in a position to request particular numbers from the five hundred examples that shall be handcrafted in Crewe.
Paint choices begin with a core vary of 24 performance-focused colors, with further paint finishes together with Supersports logos and matte paint accessible through Mulliner. Past single-tone exteriors, Bentley’s design workforce has developed 5 ‘Design Themes’, which embrace both a small part of vertical striping and a Supersports identify in a contrasting color on the decrease physique facet behind the entrance wheel, or a sequence of painted stripes in two contrasting colors throughout the rear quarters of the automotive.
Exterior carbon fibre is offered in excessive gloss end, and the decrease parts will be absolutely painted or pinstriped.
For the cabin, 22 Major Conceal colors are accompanied by 11 Secondary Conceal and 9 Accent Conceal colors. Single tone, duo-tone (as commonplace) and a brand new and distinctive tri-tone color cut up are all accessible, and Darkish Chrome Specification is commonplace.
Instead of inside carbon fibre, clients also can select from Diamond Brushed or Engine Turned Aluminium in a Darkish Tint end, or the clear and chic simplicity of Piano Black.
The launch imagery for Supersports is in a Design Theme known as “Dusk”, which blends Anthracite gloss exterior paint with a Camel accent to the decrease bodywork together with Camel decrease striping and a distinction quantity 8 to the grille. The inside is in Beluga and Camel, with Bronze accents.
In the meantime, the automotive unveiled in New York on the international debut is in a specification known as ‘Dawn’, in Jetstream Matte with a Design Theme livery in Arctica and Portofino. The inside is Damson with Gentle Blue and Pillar Field Crimson accents.
(Supply: Bentley)
