The 2017 Bentley Continental Supersports has touched
down in Australia, making its local debut at the Australian Grand Prix this
week in Melbourne. Pricing for the flagship Continental coupe and convertible starts
at AUD 569,522 and AUD 626,474 in Australia before on-road costs respectively.
With its uprated 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12
engine, the Continental Supersports develops a massive 710 Hp of power at
5900 rpm and a whopping 1017 Nm of torque – which comes in between 2050 rpm and
4500 rpm. Drive is sent to all-four wheels (40:60 front-rear distribution) via
an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Despite weighing 2280 kg, the Supersports coupe is
capable of sprinting from 0-100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds (3.9 convertible), on
its way to a top speed of 336 km/h (330 km/h convertible) – making it the fastest
four-seater in the world. At maximum speed, Bentley says the Continental
Supersports is covering a distance equivalent to the length of an entire
football field every second. Helping the Supersports to achieve these
impressive figures are new high-performance turbochargers and engine hardware,
a torque vectoring system developed from the technology used in the Continental
GT3-R.
Behind the lightweight 21-inch forged alloy wheels
are high-performance carbon-ceramic brake discs, which are the largest of their
type in the world. The new brake and wheel package help to reduce unsprung mass
by 20kg, with a further 5kg saved by fitting the optional titanium exhaust system.
However, the Supersports is still a Bentley,
offering a range of standard luxury features along with an array of
personalisation and equipment options. Standard kit includes bi-xenon projector
headlights with LED daytime running lights, LED main beam supplementation, LED
tail-lights, an 8.0-inch central touchscreen infotainment system with 30GB hard
drive and satellite navigation with Google Maps, a 440W eight-speaker audio
system, 17 different leather colour options, carbon-fibre trims throughout the
cabin, along with a carbon-fibre bodykit including a front splitter, side
skirts and rear diffuser.
There’s also an optional X-Specification package,
adding the choice of eight two-tone
paint finishes (pictured), carbon-fibre mirrors and heel plates, the aforementioned
titanium exhaust system, carbon-fibre interior side panels, carbon-fibre engine
cover, and gloss-black versions of the 21-inch forged alloy wheels.
As with all Bentley models, the Supersports can be
specified with bespoke elements through the company’s coachbuilding department,
Mulliner.The new Continental Supersports will be on display at the Australian
F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, also making appearances on track as a course car
for some of the exhibition parades.