2017 Bentley Continental Supersports review

There's no way you could ever accuse any member of Bentley's Continental GT range of being slow. Even the 'base model' V8 turns out 373kW and can cover the dash to triple figures in just 4.6 seconds.

But that's never stopped the boutique British brand from building on the Continental's abilities, which is evident by the addition of its new range-topping Continental Supersports - a machine it claims is the ultimate GT car.

To live up to that statement, the goal was simple, build the fastest four-seater car in the world without many major changes - the car had to stick to its basic mechanical layout to keep costs from spiralling out of control.

Arguably at $569,522 (plus on-road costs) for the coupe and $626,474 (plus on-roads) for the convertible neither is what the average buyer would consider cost effective, but no part of the Continental's handcrafted interior was dismantled to make the Supersports faster, making it a truly grand Grand Tourer.

Outputs from the Continental's W12 engine climb to 522kW at 5900 rpm and 1017Nm from 2050rpm until 4500rpm, endowing the Supersports with the pulling power of a freight train. Those figures also represent a handy leg-up of 50kW and 177Nm compared to the Continental GT Speed.

As a result, the Supersports can bolt to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds as a coupe, or 3.9 seconds for the heavier convertible. Top speed is indeed fast at 336km/h for the coupe and 330 km/h for the convertible.

To get there Bentley has upped the size of the turbocharger turbines, increased charge air cooling capacity, and strengthened the main bearings and conrod bearings on the crankshaft as well as remapping the engine management to suit.

The result is nothing short of spectacular.

On a road voyage through Portugal, the Supersport maintained its comfortable grand touring reputation with its stiffened air suspension still able to glide over every road imperfection, and the heated and cooled massaging seats providing more comfort than your average household sofa.

Speaking of the interior, there's a choice of 17 different hide colours available, 10 trim veneers - including a new chequered carbon fibre - and a new Supersports steering wheel trimmed in leather and Alcantara with a top centre marker, as well as a new three-tone colour option for the interior trim.

That's all very impressive, but it's the optional titanium exhaust that proved more delightful. Able to breath more freely, the lightweight exhaust systems clears the normally sedate W12's throat ranging from a gravelly mid range to a bellowing high-rev growl, and crackling like a lit box of fireworks when rolling off the throttle and flicking down through the gears.

The best way to enjoy the soundtrack, by far, is in the convertible with the insulated fabric top stowed - there the Supersports sounds as it should, unlike the coupe which can be just a little too tranquil.

Thankfully with the top down and rear seat windblocker in place the Supersports convertible still allows normal conversation at speed up to 100 km/h and even at times, pushing beyond 120 km/h the wind roar, though present, was only just enough to drown out instructions from the navigation system.

Bentley has stuck with the Continental's eight-speed automatic and rear-biased all wheel drive, but has added torque vectoring by braking, to reduce understeering and keep the nose in line.

According to Paul Jones, the director of the Continental line, an electronically actuated mechanical torque vectoring diff adds weight, and would have required changes to the rear floor pan, reducing boot and back seat space - hence sticking with the Continental's open diff layout.

Touring around Portugal's motorway network, strung together via a series of backroad journeys, revealed that as a tourer the Supersports strikes the right chord, effortlessly outperforming everything else in its wake and doing so in sublime comfort.

At our final destination, the Estoril raceway, the Supersports revealed its true intent. This was track time designed to show off the immense ability of the engine and torque vectoring systems, rather than setting any new lap records.

Usually weight is the enemy of performance, but with such a huge torque output, and all-wheel drive grip, the Supersports simply grips and goes. On some of the circuit's more challenging corners a slow entry is required to quell understeer, but nail the throttle post-apex and the big Bentley charges off like a much smaller car.

Bentley's torque vectoring works unobtrusively in the background, slowing an inside rear wheel to keep the nose pointed in its intended direction. It's hard to say if the car is an quicker as a result, but for something of its size it's refreshingly accurate.

In keeping with its high-end luxury feel the steering is perhaps less communicative than ideal for time on the track, but that over assisted isolation is right at home wafting along cobbled roads and expansion-jointed freeways.

Those that wish to get more involved in the driving process can change gears manually via steering column-mounted shift paddles, but their position high up and a handspan away from the wheel makes them less than intuitive to use than wheel-mounted levers - something Bentley hasn't changed from the regular Continental.

More impressively, it is equipped with the largest carbon ceramic rotors fitted to a production car. There's no denying their immense stopping power from speed when they are within their optimum temperature range, but the pedal isn't loaded with feedback, and you feel the retardation is the unblurring of the scenery rather than any kind of pedal feel.

In the end, none of that matters as Bentley's fastest machine is superbly capable of performing cross-continental trips in a single sitting, blending the best of the brand's craftsmanship with ferocious power and unshakable grace. It is truly the grandest of grand tourers.

2017 Bentley Continental Supersports pricing and specifications. 

Price: From $569,522 plus on-road costs

Engine: 6.0-litre W12 turbo petrol

Power: 522kW at 5900 rpm

Torque: 1017Nm at 2050-4500 rpm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive

Fuel use: 15.7L/100km (coupe) 15.9L/100km (Convertible)

• For more information visit our Bentley showroom page