2018 Bentley Continental Supersports

Bentley aficionados know that Supersports models are the best of the best; with cranked up performance, dating all the way back to their 1920s motorsports heydays. Well, Bentley delivers yet again. The Continental Supersports is the fastest Bentley ever. So it’s time to get some posh performance on!

It’s a given that when most Bentley owners hop behind the wheel, it’s off to their country estate, or perhaps to the office of whatever Fortune 500 company they work for. Fortunately, we didn’t have to buy this 2018 Bentley Continental Supersports to try it out. Rather, Bentley was kind enough to “drop it off” for a few days so we could, you know, kick the tires. 

And, we did just that, around the two miles and 9 turns of Roebling Road Raceway near Savannah, Georgia. And, why not? With a top speed of 209 miles-per-hour, it’s the fastest 4-seat luxury car you can buy.

But, that’s only part of why the Supersports is so…well…”super.”

It all starts with the 2nd generation of Volkswagen’s D1 chassis, around since 2012. Then, the front end adds a new bumper with carbon-fiber splitter, while the body work in the rear gets massaged with a new diffuser. 

Side sill extensions, as well as hood vents, are carbon fiber; and finally the rear spoiler has been aerodynamically optimized.   

The last Continental Supersports we tested back in 2011 boasted a measly 621-horsepower. That won’t do these days, so Bentley continues to crank up the aging 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine, which now pushes out 700-horsepower and 750 lb-ft. of torque. Yes, that’s an insane amount of power for any car, but it’s delivered so smoothly, that surely some type of alien technology is also involved. 

Transmission? The same ZF 8-speed automatic, with a nice mechanical feeling shifter, no flimsy e-shifter here, plus large paddles mounted on the steering column.  

Aiming this much opulence around a road course still does not feel natural. But huge standard 16-inch front carbon-ceramic brake rotors help you to get woahed down enough to make corners, and an updated version of the GT3-R’s torque vectoring all-wheel drive helps you power out of them. 

Similar to a well-seasoned veteran on the sport’s field; it may not be as nimble as some of its competition, but it knows what it has and how to use it for maximum effect.  

And like guiding a battleship through a minefield, you have to plan ahead as much as possible, keep inputs smooth, and keep your wits, and abilities, about you to emerge on the other side unscathed.

Find a sweeping back road that leads to a country club, or an ocean side resort; and both you and the car will have a much better time. 

While in the driver’s seat, you’ll be mostly sheltered from the outside world, save for moderate amounts of engine noise and exhaust notes from a new titanium exhaust; but only when you want them. 

If you crave even more exposure, a convertible version is available as well. 

The Supersports racy looking interior comes courtesy of a new tri-color theme, diamond stitching throughout, and of course seemingly limitless choices when it comes to veneers.  

Should you find yourself in the need to get out of town in a hurry, launching this rocket from a standstill is truly a unique experience. 

Hit the gas, and there’s a slight hesitation as you feel all of the brute’s weight transfer to the rear; upon which time it squats and shoots you off the line at full power. 60 miles-per-hour comes in just 3.2-seconds. 

The Supersports never stops piling on the power until you tell it to, and it feels like it’s just getting going when the ¼-mile ends in 11.5-seconds at 122 miles-per-hour. 

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are fitting for a 700-horsepower car, at 11-City, 20-Highway, and 14-Combined.

Neither poshness nor performance come cheap. So you can imagine combining the two makes for a hefty price tag; $299,025 to be exact. Only about 250 or so of the 710 that will be made, are available to us here in the colonies. So, I wouldn’t dawdle if I were you.

A 700-horsepower leather-clad luxury missile would certainly not qualify as a necessity by anyone’s definition. That just makes us want a 2018 Bentley Continental Supersports even more. There may be an all-new Continental not too far in the horizon, but this beast is aging beautifully.