Bentley introduced the ‘Super Sports’ name in 1925 atop its 4½ Litre chassis. It was the first Bentley model capable of reaching 100 miles per hour, and with success at Le Mans throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s, it helped cement Bentley as a serious contender in the performance luxury space.
Now, 100 years later, Bentley is reviving its Supersports name. This time, it comes in the form of a powerful, lightweight (for a Bentley, at least), rear-wheel-drive sports car based on the current Continental GT. And yes, it’ll go well past 100 mph
The new Bentley Continental GT Supersports notches the current model up to 11 with a powerful twin-turbocharged V-8 engine capable of 657 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and rear-wheel drive—and importantly, it’s not a hybrid.
It takes just 3.7 seconds for the Supersports to reach 62 miles per hour. Find a long enough stretch of road, and it will continue on to a top speed of 192 mph.
As the only non-hybrid Continental GT in the lineup and also rear-drive, the Supersports sheds more than a few pounds compared to its overly complex, electrified siblings. Bentley touts this as the lightest Continental GT to date, tipping the scales at just under 4,409 pounds (2,000 kilograms)—or over 1,000 pounds lighter than the next-lightest GT Speed variant (5,421 lbs). It’s no Miata, but it’ll do in a pinch.
Bentley uses a clever electronic limited-slip differential to help send all that newfound power to the rear wheels. It also widened the car’s rear track by 16.0 millimeters and added torque brake vectoring with rear-wheel steering. The steering, suspension, and traction control systems, meanwhile, have all been completely recalibrated.
The double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension pair with Bentley’s 48-volt electronic anti-roll system, which can detect and quash body roll in as little as 0.3 seconds. The brakes, Bentley claims, are the biggest on any modern production car: 10-piston calipers with 440-mm Carbon-Silicon-Carbide stoppers up front, and four-piston calipers with 410-mm discs in the rear.
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Source: Bentley
The Supersports has three specific drive modes, depending on usage. Touring mode lifts the suspension and softens up the dampers for a more subdued ride. Bentley mode sharpens up the throttle response and tweaks the chassis for a slightly more spirited experience. If you find yourself on the infamous Transfagarasan Highway, tick over to Sport mode to unlock the sharpest, most aggressive settings.
All told, Bentley says the new Supersports corners 30 percent quicker than a standard Continental GT Speed, with up to 1.3 Gs of peak lateral force. That’s comparable to something like a Koenigsegg CCX.
Visually, Bentley threw subdued out the window and went bonkers with valances, skirts, wheels, and wings, all doused in carbon fiber to help reduce weight. The new front bumper features an integrated splitter and is the biggest ever fitted to a road-going Bentley. It’s complemented by two dive planes at each corner of the bumper that help reduce lift.
A new rear diffuser continues the aggro theme out back, while the one-piece, fixed spoiler on the trunk lid generates 661 pounds more downforce than the standard Conti GT. The Supersports also wears special 22-inch lightweight forged wheels developed by Manthey Racing specifically for this car.
Weight savings continue inside, where Bentley has fully removed the rear seats. Sorry, kiddos. That lightweighting also includes ditching the rear audio system, slimming up the front seats, and removing some of the sound insulation. While less insulation will undoubtedly yield a louder ride, it’ll at least allow you to hear the full-length Akrapovic titanium exhaust system a bit better.
The seats themselves are two lightweight, highly bolstered buckets positioned low in the vehicle. Buyers will be able to select from a handful of monotone, dual-tone, and even tri-tone interior combinations, with a healthy mix of leather, Dinamica, and carbon fiber accents.
“The new Supersports is more than just the most driver-focused Bentley yet. It signifies a return to Bentley making more extreme cars—ones that combine extraordinary breadth of ability with true driver engagement, while remaining pieces of automotive artwork unique and bespoke to each customer,” says Chairman and CEO, Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser.
“Bentley has always thrived when revealing a more daring side, and the new Supersports is a statement of our intent while celebrating 100 years of the name. This is the first project developed from start to finish since I joined Bentley Motors, and I’m proud of our team and the speed at which we’ve created a car so different from the GT on which it’s based.”
Photo by: Bentley
As expected, Bentley will only build a few hundred examples of the new Supersports, each individually numbered. Only 500 units are planned globally. The order books open in March of 2026, with production slated to kick off later in the year.
Pricing for the new Bentley Continental GT Supersports remains a mystery, but expect a pretty significant bump over the current Continental GT, which starts at around $285,000.
