New rear-wheel drive Bentley Supersports Convertible on the way
Spy shots show a drop-top version of the Continental GT offshoot on test in the vicinity of the Nürburgring Nordschleife
While some special ‘lightweight’ versions of high-performance cars are put on a token diet, the Bentley Supersports goes further – it’s a whopping 500kg lighter than the Continental GT it’s based on. Soon, though, you’ll be able to add a load of weight back in, with a Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible spotted undergoing testing around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany.
Mind you, it’ll still be significantly lighter than the current Continental GTC. We’re expecting it to follow the same recipe as the coupé, which involves binning the hefty plug-in hybrid system and the all-wheel-drive set-up for the bulk of the savings. To trim the fat further, the roof, front bumper, rear diffuser and boot are all made from carbon fibre, and there’s a full titanium exhaust.
On the subject of the bodywork, new spy shots clearly show that the convertible will share the same front bumper with its distinctive splitter and diveplanes, and the sizeable ducktail rear spoiler.
The drop-top Supersports looks to be wearing the same 22-inch Manthey forged wheels as the coupé, albeit with a simple monotone finish and no centre caps on this prototype. They’re shod in what look to be Pirelli P Zero PZ5 tyres, with Trofeo RS rubber likely available as a more focused option, if the coupé is anything to go by. Behind the wheels, we can see the enormous 440mm carbon-silicon carbide brake discs at the front, squeezed by 10-piston calipers.
Although the Supersports is the most focused Bentley you can buy, it’s far from the fastest accelerating, owing to its rear-wheel-drive layout. Still, a 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds is not to be sniffed at. Expect the cabriolet version to be a tenth or two slower, owing to its inevitable extra bulk. The source of propulsion will remain a 4.0-litre V8, with bigger turbochargers to boost the output to 657bhp and 800Nm of torque.
The coupé is priced from £343,000, and all 500 units are already sold out. The convertible version will likely be even more expensive.
Get the latest and best car news and reviews, first! Follow Auto Express on Google today
