Bentley has unleashed its most extreme road car yet – the Continental Supersports. Priced at around £400,000 with a production run limited to just 500 units, this isn’t merely an upgrade; it’s a reimagining of what a Bentley can be. Ditching the traditional all-wheel drive for rear-wheel drive and boasting a potent 657bhp V8 engine, the Supersports prioritizes driving thrills over grand touring comfort.
Codenamed “Project Mildred” after legendary racer Mildred Mary Petre, this new flagship heralds a shift in Bentley’s DNA – a push towards crafting more focused performance machines. CEO Frank Walliser states that while built upon the existing Continental GT platform, the Supersports is “so different” as to establish several firsts for road-going Bentleys.
The most prominent departures are its rear-wheel drive layout and radical aerodynamic design. It features the largest front splitter ever seen on a production Bentley, generating unprecedented downforce for improved grip and handling. This emphasis on cornering prowess sets it apart from the more luxurious offerings in its price bracket and positions it as a direct competitor to the Aston Martin DB12 S – although in terms of outright performance rather than raw exclusivity.
The new Supersports echoes its namesake predecessors, the iconic 3 Litre Super Sports from 1929 and subsequent iterations from 2009 and 2017. All bore the “Supersports” badge as a symbol of Bentley’s most powerful offering at the time. However, in an era dominated by electric hypercars capable of exceeding 1000bhp, Bentley has opted for a different approach with the latest iteration.
Instead of raw power alone, the Supersports embraces a more driver-focused ethos. Its lightweight construction – tipping the scales at just under 2 tonnes, making it half a tonne lighter than the GT Speed and the lightest Bentley since the legendary Mark V from 1940 – plays a crucial role in this shift. This emphasis on agility and handling marks a significant departure for Bentley, signaling their intent to engage a new generation of enthusiasts who prioritize driving experience above all else.
