666hp Bentley Supersports – devilishly awesome RWD Conti GT spawned

Bentley has pulled the covers off what it calls the most driver-focused Continental GT in history; a new Supersports that brings rear-wheel drive, a sub-two-tonne kerb weight and a stripped-out two-seat cabin to the grand tourer for the first time. Limited to just 500 individually numbered units globally and confirmed for New Zealand, the model marks the 100th anniversary of the first “Super Sports” Bentley of 1925.

The new Supersports is defiantly old-school using a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 sans any electrification, delivering 666PS (657bhp) and 800Nm driving only the rear wheels. Bentley says the new configuration delivers its most engaging GT to date, trading top-speed theatrics for dynamic precision and driver feel.

A More Extreme Continental

Bentley has gone deeper into race-car territory than ever before with the Continental platform. The exterior is shaped by function rather than ornament, featuring the biggest front splitter ever fitted to a Bentley road car, carbon-fibre dive planes, extended side sills, a rear diffuser and a fixed rear wing. Together, these elements generate some 300kg more downforce than a Continental GT Speed.

A new carbon-fibre roof panel drops weight and the centre of gravity, while lightweight forged 22-inch wheels (co-developed with Manthey Racing) shed unsprung mass. A full Akrapovič titanium exhaust is standard and tuned to give the car a more vocal, naturally resonant V8 note with no electronic enhancement.

Inside, the transformation is even more dramatic. The rear seats, insulation and associated hardware have all been removed, replaced with a carbon-fibre and leather tub. A pair of low-mounted, heavily bolstered sports seats provide 11-way adjustment but prioritise support and weight saving over the opulence usually associated with Bentley. Trim options include monotone, two-tone and a new tri-tone split, blending leather, Dinamica and carbon fibre.

“A return to more extreme cars”

Bentley Chairman and CEO Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser says the Supersports represents a shift toward more daring projects from Crewe.

“The new Supersports is more than just the most driver-focused Bentley yet. It signifies a return to Bentley making more extreme cars – ones that combine extraordinary breadth of ability with true driver engagement, while remaining pieces of automotive artwork unique and bespoke to each customer. Bentley has always thrived when revealing a more daring side, and the new Supersports is a statement of our intent while celebrating 100 years of the name. This is the first project developed from start-to-finish since I joined Bentley Motors, and I’m proud of our team and the speed at which we’ve created a car so different to the GT on which it’s based.”

Project Mildred: A Secret Skunkworks Build

This Supersports began life as a quiet experiment. In late 2024, a small Bentley engineering team theorised what a rear-drive, sub-two-tonne Continental might feel like. A mule was approved, built, and on track just six weeks later. Its performance exceeded expectations.

To keep the project under wraps, the engineers named it after Mildred Mary Petre—an extraordinary 1920s motorsport pioneer who set endurance records in a Bentley 4½ Litre. Her fearless pursuit of speed became the spirit behind the new Supersports.

A Century of Supersports

Bentley first used the “Super Sports” name in 1925 on a lightweight, uprated 3.0-litre model and built just 18 examples. The badge lay dormant until 2009, when the first Continental Supersports arrived with 204mph performance and a two-seat layout.

A more extreme successor followed in 2017 with 710PS from a W12 and an identical 710-unit build run.

The new model departs from its predecessors by focusing less on outright speed and more on driver engagement. Weight drops by almost half a tonne, making the Supersports the lightest Bentley in 85 years, while also introducing the most advanced aero package ever seen on one of its GTs.

The First Rear-Drive Continental GT

The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 has been heavily reworked with a strengthened block, uprated heads and larger turbos to deliver Bentley’s highest-ever power density. An eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox with stronger clutches and a sharper shift strategy drives an electronic limited-slip differential on the rear axle.

The numbers remain impressive: 0–100km/h in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of roughly 310km/h. But Bentley stresses that lateral performance is the real headline. With optional Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres, the Supersports can generate up to 1.3g in cornering—around 30 percent more than the Continental GT Speed.

A wider rear track, rear-wheel steering and recalibrated ESC systems allow drivers to tailor their experience. Dynamic Mode enables moderate slip and controlled oversteer, while ESC-Off gives full freedom for track use.

Three new driving modes (Touring, Bentley and Sport) redefine the car’s behaviour from long-distance comfort to full-attack settings, influencing damping, throttle response, steering weight, gearbox aggression and exhaust character.

Braking is handled by the largest production brake system available anywhere: 440mm carbon-ceramic rotors up front with 10-piston calipers. Air suspension with new twin-chamber dampers and Bentley’s 48V anti-roll system and RWS helps balance agility with high-speed stability.

Design Themes and Personalisation

Only 500 examples will be built, each individually numbered. Mulliner offers 24 base colours plus matte finishes, Supersports striping, and five preset Design Themes including the launch colourway “Nightfall” and the New York debut specification “Daybreak.”

The cabin offers 22 main hide colours, nine accent colours and optional brushed or engine-turned aluminium finishes.

When It Arrives in New Zealand

Orders for the new Supersports open in March 2026, with production starting in the final quarter of 2026. A blockbuster launch film, set to premiere in Dubai in January, will formally kick off Bentley’s most extreme GT project to date.