2010 Bentley Continental Supersports
Big, graceful, race-bred Bentleys are certainly nothing new. Since the early ‘20s, they’ve earned the company six Le Mans wins and the prestige that goes along with them. Indeed, super-luxurious Bentley four-doors have basked in the limelight for decades now. But, for 2010, Bentley has built a very special coupe, and revived the Supersports name to go with it. So, we jumped at the chance to see just how super it really is.
The 2010 Bentley Continental Supersports’ silhouette is little changed from its less potent Continental stablemates. They all share a 108.1-inch wheelbase and a 189.1-inch overall length, but racy styling cues help this fastest Bentley ever stand out.
A central ‘letterbox’ intake and two vertical apertures in the front fascia feed 10% more air through the Supersports’ radiator and intercoolers. All of the mesh on the front end- from the intakes to the familiar Continental grille to the twin heat extractors in the hood- is finished in the same “smoked steel” as the headlight bezels, 20-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels, and rocker panel trim.
Classic big-coupe good looks have worked just fine for the Continental so far, and the Supersports is no exception. Well-drawn body lines sweep over wider rear fender flares, which accommodate a two-inch wider rear track.
From behind, the Supersports is distinguished by smoked taillights and larger-diameter exhaust outlets set in a narrow black surround. The overall effect is a very menacing Bentley.
For motivation, the Supersports relies on the same 6.0-liter, twin-turbo W12 that has been under the Continental’s hood since its debut in 2004. But this time around, there’s 621 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque on tap.
That’s a bump of 21 horses and 37 pound-feet over the Continental GT Speed, and a leap of 69 horsepower and 111 pound-feet over the Continental GT. The heavily-revised ZF six-speed ‘Quickshift’ automatic with wheel-mounted paddle shifters is the only available transmission, and it cuts fuel and ignition between gear changes for lightning-quick shifts. In ‘Sport’ mode, they’re almost telepathic.
The extra power hauls a car featuring lightweight wheels, carbon-ceramic brakes, revised aluminum suspension components, and no rear seats. All told, the Supersports weighs in at 4,939 pounds, 243 pounds lighter than the GT Speed.
At the track, it was a velvet sledgehammer. Power builds up fast and smooth, and its baritone around-town burble gave way to a primal roar at wide-open throttle. Our Supersports blazed from a standstill to 60 in 3.9 seconds-that’s eight tenths quicker than the GT-and through the quarter mile in 12.3 seconds at 115 miles per hour, figures that put it in the same league as much more spartan supercars.
Through the slalom, the all-wheel drive Supersports’ revised dampers and anti-roll bars, coupled with its new 40/60 rear-biased torque split, made for quick, neutral responses in corners.
Steering has been retuned too, and we found it to be quick and direct but with little feedback. Being ham-fisted results in understeer, while being overzealous with the gas tipped the Supersports over into power oversteer. For being as big and heavy as it is, however, the Supersports is very agile, with minimal body roll even in high-speed maneuvers.
Those big carbon-ceramic brakes snapped it all to a dead halt from 60 in a very impressive average of 109 feet. The pedal is soft, but travel is short, and stops were stable and fade-free.
For all the dynamic gains on the track, the Supersports loses a little refinement on the road. The ride is somewhat stiffer, but nothing we couldn’t put up with. Bentley-exclusive manually adjustable Sparco sports seats were noticeably thin on padding, but generously trimmed in leather and diamond-pattern Alcantara and still very comfortable.
The dash largely carries over from the regular Continental, with a substantial center stack and two “wings”- in the Supersports’ case, trimmed in leather and faced in carbon fiber.
The biggest difference from the driver’s seat is the leather three-spoke steering wheel. And, as usual, Bentley has the details perfect, from the Breitling clock and organ-stop vent controls to the drilled alloy sports pedals.
Now, there’s only room for two, but they’ll enjoy standard satellite navigation, front and side curtain airbags, and 10-speaker sound.
As you might surmise, Government Fuel Economy ratings are low: 12 city, 19 highway. Our test loop returned 13.9 miles per gallon on premium gas. But Bentley has become eco-minded. By summer, the Supersports will be the first Bentley that runs on E85, and by 2012, the entire lineup will be FlexFuel capable. Available now in very limited numbers, the Supersports starts at $272,195 including a $2,600 gas guzzler tax.
The 2010 Bentley Continental Supersports delivers such astonishing performance that the slight ride penalty is easily overlooked. It’s more like its famous racer namesakes than any road-going Bentley ever built, and is indeed a fitting tribute to those proud Winged ‘B’ warriors.
Specifications
- Engine: 6.0-Liter, Twin-turbo W12
- Horsepower: 621
- Torque: 590 Lb Feet
- 0-60 MPH: 3.9 Seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 12.3 Seconds @ 115 MPH
- 60-0 MPH: 109 Feet
- EPA: 12 MPG City/ 19 MPG Highway
- Mixed Loop: 13.9 MPG
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota’s Go Anywhere Globetrotter Returns To U.S.
Every once in a while, we all need a reset. A time to get back to basics and prioritize the things that really matter. Well, for the Toyota Land Cruiser that time is now. So, let’s find out if that means bigger and better things for Toyota’s iconic off-roader.
The Toyota Land Cruiser’s status among the global off-road community is legendary, and it’s hard to imagine there’s any corner of the earth where a Land Cruiser hasn’t kicked up a little dust or mud. Well, 2024 sees the return of the Land Cruiser to the U.S. market after a 3-year hiatus, getting a major reset for the journey.
The reset comes mostly by no longer being based on the large three-row “300-series” chassis, but a new version of the smaller “200-series,” now known as the J250. As with the latest Tacoma, it uses the Tundra pickup’s full-size steel frame.
While the main Land Cruiser model, which goes by simply Land Cruiser, is packed full of luxury and convenience features, there is also a stripped-down model known as the 1958, honoring the first year the Land Cruiser made landfall here in North America. And it is that 1958 we have here, and we were glad to see it, as it also celebrates the original’s back-to-basics approach as a blank canvas for you to personalize as you tackle more and more adventures.
Not that it’s fully stripped down, as 8-inch touchscreen infotainment, a 7-inch full-color multi-information display, and automatic climate control are still standard. Plus, some seriously durable materials, and great heated cloth front seats that throw off some get serious 1990s Tacoma vibes.
But outside, there’s a definite lack of flashy trim and basic looking 18-inch wheels with Yokohama Geolander all-season tires; plus, big chunky bumpers and tilt-up back glass, which is a rarity that we appreciate. Though there is a little too much plastic in places that are sure to see some abuse if you do any significant off-roading.
It even feels a little rough around the edges, but for us it just adds to the rugged old-school utility vibe in a good way.
We did just that, both here in the Mid-Atlantic as well as in the California desert; and while there are some tech-forward driving aids, the actual hardware is in most cases plenty to get things done. That includes standard full-time dual-range four-wheel-drive, locking center and rear diffs, and 8.7-inches of ground clearance. A front stabilizer bar disconnect is also available to allow for increased articulation.
Who needs a V6 or even a V8 when you’ve got Toyota’s i-FORCE MAX setup at your disposal with 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque coming from a 2.4-liter turbo-four with an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and its eight-speed automatic transmission. Low speed torque delivery is impressive. It even feels a little rough around the edges, which may be a turn off to some, but for us it just adds to the rugged old-school utility vibe in a good way.
And it certainly feels quicker than an off roader needs to be, with an instant torque dump as soon as we eased on the throttle at our Mason Dixon test track; helping us get to 60 in 8.1 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 16.3 seconds at 86 mph. Considering the Land Cruiser’s terrain conquering mission, it behaved quite well in our handling course; it was plenty responsive to inputs, with less body roll than we expected and plenty of grip from the tires. The steering was light and quick but as expected didn’t provide much feel. Other than significant nosedive, braking performance was exceptional. Only 107-feet to panic stop us from 60 mph.
With the shift to the smaller size, there’s no more third row available, and cargo capacity now comes in at 46.2 cubic-feet with a max of a still healthy 82.1. Now, the best part of the Land Cruiser’s return is the entry price of $57,445. That’s about 30-grand less than what the last Land Cruiser went for back in 2021.
Whether it’s over the top fashion trends, mullets, or zombies; just when you think they’re dead, they come roaring back to life. Of course, we’re much happier to see the resurrection of this 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser than any of those things. Toyota is one brand that still recognizes the value of full-framed rugged rigs and has also acknowledged that sometimes less really is more. The Godfather of Toyota off-roading is back and better than ever.