Skip advert
Advertisement

Bentley GTC Supersports ISR

We drive the most powerful Bentley ever, the GTC Supersports ISR

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Find your next car here
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

With its brash exterior and booming exhaust note, the Supersports ISR will have Bentley traditionalists wincing. But with a new GTC available, this is a fitting send-off for the old car. Everything about it is huge – the price, weight, performance, grip and noise. The only small aspect is the production run of 100.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Continental GTC Supersports ISR is the Bentley that can’t stop breaking records. Built to commemorate Juha Kankkunen’s 205mph ice speed record (hence ISR) on a frozen stretch of the Baltic Sea last year, it’s the most powerful Bentley ever, the most expensive Continental ever and the fastest convertible that the company has built to date.

It’s also the most garish, with red Supersports ISR graphics on the flanks, red bonnet vents and 20-inch red wheels available as an option. Fortunately, our test car was fitted with more subtle dark wheels and painted in Beluga Black. Arctica White and Quartzite Grey are also available.

You should ignore the flashy exterior and questionable red carbon fibre weave inside, as this car is all about its engine. The 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 has been tweaked to produce 631bhp – 10bhp more than the Supersports GTC on which this model is based. The changes include a free-flowing – and much louder than standard – sports exhaust.

Squeeze the throttle at any speed and if the car’s extroverted style doesn’t get you noticed, the noise it makes definitely will.

If you leave the six-speed auto in D, the refinement is superb. But hold a gear past 2,000rpm and the car lets out an incredible boom that ricochets off buildings and fills the cabin, especially with the roof down. Slot the chunky gearlever into S and the exhausts are set to full volume, all of the time. This also sharpens the throttle response and lets the gearbox kick down more readily.

There are four suspension settings. The softest delivers a supple ride, but the firmest is only really suited to perfectly smooth surfaces. Despite crushing acceleration and endless grip through corners, you can’t fight physics – the 2,395kg ISR struggles for body control when you throw it around.

Under hard acceleration, the nose tips skywards as you’re rocketed down the road, and there’s noticeable lean as you turn in to a bend.

Even so, the way this car surges forwards, combined with the stopping power of the carbon-ceramic brakes, makes for a truly phenomenal driving experience.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £3,297 off RRP*
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £27,005Avg. savings £7,778 off RRP*Used from £11,890
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,406 off RRP*Used from £14,850
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,820Avg. savings £4,647 off RRP*Used from £13,800
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Geely EX5 SUV to arrive in October, starting at £32k
Geely EX5 - front

New Geely EX5 SUV to arrive in October, starting at £32k

This new electric SUV is coming soon to the UK from Volvo and Lotus parent company, Geely
News
15 Sep 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Savour the Scandi cool of a Polestar 4 at only £334 a month
Polestar 4 - cornering, low shot

Car Deal of the Day: Savour the Scandi cool of a Polestar 4 at only £334 a month

Fancy something smart and sophisticated? You won’t look back with the Polestar 4. It’s our Deal of the Day for September 13
News
13 Sep 2025
Skoda Enyaq vs Toyota bZ4X: which SUV is the perfect family EV?
Skoda Enyaq vs Toyota bZ4X - front tracking

Skoda Enyaq vs Toyota bZ4X: which SUV is the perfect family EV?

Things don’t stand still in the world of EVs, and Skoda’s Enyaq and Toyota’s bZ4X have both been updated. We put them to the test...
Car group tests
13 Sep 2025