The Bentley Continental GT Supersport is making a return, and it won’t be hybrid
Eight years since it went off sale, the Bentley Continental GT Supersport is coming back to showrooms. Here’s everything we know
Bentley has confirmed there is to be a new Continental GT Supersport, a nameplate last seen on the firm's two-door coupe in 2017. The model’s coming back later this year and will be a very different Continental GT to what is currently offered in the line-up, less complex, lighter and more engaging to drive. It will also be exclusive in terms of production numbers and, most likely therefore at least double the price (or more) of the current GT Speed, which starts from £236,000.
With no W12 to call upon and with Bentley providing little intel beyond a statement no longer than a social media post, the internet has gone into overdrive in terms of speculating on its final specification. So we did some asking around, and the potential finished car sounds rather special.
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If our sources are true to their word, the Supersport will replace its twelve-cylinder engine with a further evolution of the 4-litre V8 twin turbo that currently powers the Speed. But while that model is also equipped with Bentley’s ultra-performance hybrid powertrain, it is expected that Bentley’s engineering team has found a way of returning the powertrain to pure internal combustion.
This will obviously mean a drop in power from the current Speed’s 771bhp, which is made up from the V8’s 591bhp and the electric motor’s 188bhp. With the hybrid ditched, even the might of the VW Group’s engineers are going to struggle to match that level of performance output on pure combustion alone, so Bentley won’t by all accounts. Rather it will focus on giving the V8 as much of a power boost that it can - expect a minimum of 650bhp - and add performance through lightness. Everything is relative of course.
How so? For a start we expect the four-wheel drive system to be ditched to create a rear-drive only Continental GT, which will save in the region of 100kg when you take into account the hardware and ancillary components required to take drive to the front axle, such as the centre diff. With the removal of the hybrid system, which weighs in the region of 165kg, you’re already near to a ten per cent weight saving.
More kilos are expected to be shredded through the use of carbonfibre, not only for items such as the propshaft and brakes, but much of the bodywork too. Because while the Supersport isn’t expected to be as limited as the Batur and Bacalar with fundamental changes made to their bodies, the Supersport is going to be ‘rare’ and ‘raring to go’, and much of its redesigned bodywork and aerodynamic additions are expected to created in carbonfibre to save at least another 40kg. A similar amount is expected to be shaved from the kerb weight with an interior that requires Bentley’s craftsmen and ladies to turn their remarkable skill set of working with wood and leather, and apply it to carbonfibre and lightweight materials. Although we expect there to be only two front seats to trim on this occasion.
Lightweight changes to the Continental GT’s two-chamber air-suspension, dynamic damping and rear-axle steering are expected to be focused around increasing the Supersport’s chassis response. Considering the GT Speed is one of the most engaging GTs you can buy, the Supersport’s opportunity is as exciting as it is likely to be rare. And expensive.
