Bentley has confirmed its new performance star – the stripped-down two-seater Super sport – is sold in Australia, albeit in extremely limited numbers.
Fewer than 10 of a total of 500 Supersport examples have been released to the local market, with each example expected to be priced at around $900,000 excluding on-road costs.
“Let’s say it’s high single digits,” said Wayne Bruce, Bentley’s chief communications officer Daily Sparkz when asked about the Australian allocation.
“It’s louder and more exciting to drive than the current GT Speed, but you could still drive this car from Melbourne to Sydney if you wanted.”
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The “Super Sports” nickname first graced a Bentley in 1925 – more precisely, a lighter, more powerful version of the 3 liter. The Supersports branding has since been applied to two separate generations of the modern Continental, while the upcoming Supersports will drop the Continental name but remain based on Bentley’s two-door coupe.
Production of the new Supersport will begin from the fourth quarter of 2026, with deliveries to customers beginning in early 2027.
Under the bonnet is a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with new cylinder heads, larger turbos and a stronger crankcase to develop 490kW and 800Nm. There’s also a custom Akrapovič exhaust for added power and acoustic drama.
Unlike the base Continental, the V8 drives the rear wheels only through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and an electronic limited-slip differential. The ZF transmission features improved clutches and remapped software for more precise gear changes. The downshifting strategy when braking has been retuned for better stability.
Bentley claims the Supersports can do the standard 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds and will reach a top speed of around 310km/h. For comparison, the regular Continental GT, which has a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain with 575kW/1000Nm and all-wheel drive, accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in 3.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 335km/h.
Handling is improved by torque vectoring and a 48V electric roll stabilization system called Bentley Ride. Significant weight savings also contribute to improved dynamics – the Supersports is the first Continental GT to weigh less than 2000kg and is said to be the lightest Bentley in 85 years.
Almost 500 kg were saved through various measures, including the elimination of the plug-in hybrid’s battery and electric motors as well as all-wheel drive.
Other weight-saving measures include a carbon fiber roof, replacing the rear seats with a leather-wrapped carbon fiber tub, reduced sound deadening, a simplified sound system and the deletion of driver assistance features.
The brakes, on the other hand, have been strengthened to cope with the increased performance of the super sport. That means 440mm carbon-silicon carbide brake discs with 10-piston calipers at the front and 410mm brake discs with four-piston calipers at the rear.
The Supersports rides on Manthey Racing 22-inch forged and machined alloy wheels in black or black with machined silver accents. Pirelli P-Zero tires are fitted as standard, but buyers can opt for Trofeo RS rubber instead.
Exterior design highlights include new front and rear bumpers, a 15 mm wider rear track, several aerodynamic add-ons and a fixed trunk lid spoiler.
Inside, there are a pair of lighter, lower sport seats with heavier bolstering. Buyers can choose between 22 primary colors and 11 secondary colors for leather upholstery, as well as 24 exterior paint finishes.
According to Bruce, the radical focus of the fourth-generation supercar is on the vision of current CEO Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, who moved from Porsche to Bentley last year.
“What’s unique about Bentley is the polarity we have – we can be super-luxury but also performance. I often use the example of the year when we designed a state limousine for the Queen and also won Le Mans,” explained Mr Bruce.
“Supersports was about pushing ourselves further towards performance. This idea had been floating around for some time, but it took the arrival of a new CEO, Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, to give it new impetus and bring everyone together.
“We’ve seen customer interest in social media coverage, it’s brought new excitement to Bentley. It’s surprised people, and it’s good to surprise.”
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