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

Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £23,990Avg. savings £2,161 off RRP*
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £3,153 off RRP*Used from £14,400
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £37,230Avg. savings £3,788 off RRP*Used from £11,795
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,406 off RRP*Used from £10,195
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Skoda Elroq and Enyaq get Electric Car Grant approval
Skoda Elroq - front cornering

Skoda Elroq and Enyaq get Electric Car Grant approval

Despite some models costing over the £37,000 threshold, Skoda has secured the government grant on its mid-size electric SUVs
News
2 Sep 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Enjoy Scandinavian style with the Volvo XC40 for just £296 a month
Volvo XC40 - front full width

Car Deal of the Day: Enjoy Scandinavian style with the Volvo XC40 for just £296 a month

Swedish company’s popular compact SUV is still effortlessly cool, and great value with our Deal of the Day for 31 August
News
31 Aug 2025
New Fiat Grande Panda goes on sale with tiny price and big ambition
Fiat Grande Panda La Prima - front cornering

New Fiat Grande Panda goes on sale with tiny price and big ambition

The newly crowned Auto Express Supermini of the Year is available in hybrid or pure-electric form, with the EV offering 199 miles of range
News
1 Sep 2025