Bentley Continental Supersports
Convertible Introducing the fastest and most powerful 4-seater convertible ever produced. A marvel of technology, performance, class and luxury. Signed Bentley.
Did Bentley actually need another supercar ? Not an important question, though the answer is “yes”. Its name, “Supersports”, is directly inspired by the Bentley Supersports of 1925, a charming reference to the past and a car that reached 160 km/hr, a remarkable feat for its time. Today’s version attains 325 km/hr and sees itself as “a fusion of extremes”. Its gearbox allows for double downshifts, from sixth to fourth for example, and cuts shift time across the entire range of ratios. The new ESP (Electronic Stability Control) offers faster reinstatement of engine torque after powering out of bends, a much-appreciated bonus for fans of spirited driving. The same concern for excellence is demonstrated in the brakes, made of carbon-ceramic and lightening the car by 20 kilos, whence improved steering response, grip and ride comfort. But the real achievement lies in the car’s FlexFuel technology, now standard across the entire Continental range. Evidence of Bentley’s commitment to protection of the environment ! The result ? The new convertible Supersports (and its associates) can run on petrol, bioethanol or any combination of the two : by 2012, all of the brand’s models will be bio-fuel compatible. Very logically, form follows function. The lines of the convertible Supersports are deliberately sculptural, with air intakes revisited and new bonnet vents (to improve airflow and cooling), flared rear wings and a discreet bootlid spoiler for improved aerodynamic balance at very high speeds. The interior gives priority to carbon fiber, present everywhere : tread-plates in carbon fabric bearing the Supersports logo, sculpted front sports seats fitted with ergonomic clam-shell backs in carbon fiber (each seat weighs only 21 kilos). Details reach their furthest point when one knows that the weave visible in the carbon fiber is of “Bentley-specific” density, to ensure the perfect visual finish ! Still in the “nec plus ultra” stratosphere, the Continental Supersport is the first Bentley to be treated to leather upholstery combining Alcantara and “Soft Grip” leather. Alcantara is a material preferred by racing drivers for its ability to provide support when cornering or under extreme conditions. It is, moreover, great to look at. In the Supersports model, it also marks the return of the small diamond upholstery pattern used on old Bentleys ; and because the sporty nature of a convertible can never be stressed enough, the steering wheel and gear lever are trimmed in new “Soft Grip” leather with extra grip so that the driver feels he’s at the wheel of a racing car. A fusion of dream and reality...
The Cabriolet Bentley Continental Supersports in figures :
Length : 4804 mm
Wheelbase : 2745 mm
From 0 to 100 km/hr : 4,2 s
Urban consumption : 25, 5 l/100 km
Non-urban consumption : 11,6 l/100 km
CO2 emission : 388 g/km
Price : approx. 220,240 €
By Cécile Olivero.
