Bentley boss Frank Walliser spent decades at Porsche running motorsport and 911 programs.
His influence shows clearly in the new Supersports, the most driver-focused Continental GT ever created and the first project he oversaw from start to finish at Crewe.
The Supersports ditches Four Wheel Drive entirely, sending all power rearward through an electronically limited-slip differential.
Bentley never offered rear drive on road cars until now. Engineers widened the rear track 16mm to handle the torque normally split across four corners.
Power comes from a strengthened 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 making 657 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque.
The hybrid system disappeared completely along with its weight penalty. Larger turbos, uprated cylinder heads, and stronger crankcase deliver the highest power density of any Bentley engine at 164 horsepower per litre.
Zero to 60mph arrives in 3.7 seconds with 192mph top speed.
Those numbers trail the 771-horsepower hybrid GT Speed, but outright pace misses the point entirely, just like a Porsche 911 GT3 accepts slower acceleration than Turbo variants.
The Supersports weighs just under two tonnes, making it Bentley’s lightest car in 85 years and 450kg lighter than the regular Continental GT.
Losing the hybrid system started the diet, switching to rear drive continued it.
Rear seats got binned, carbon fibre roof replaced aluminium, rear sound insulation vanished, and driver assists got minimised.
Carbon fibre spreads across the body, including the largest splitter ever fitted to a Bentley.
Stacked dive planes, chunky side sills, wing blades, a revised diffuser, and a fixed rear spoiler generate over 300kg more downforce than GT Speed.
Bentley developed the 22-inch forged wheels with Manthey Racing, the Porsche specialists. Form follows function according to engineers who claim no aesthetic only elements.
Optional Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS rubber combines with chassis changes and weight savings to corner 30% quicker than GT Speed, hitting 1.3g peak lateral force.
Ceramic brakes come standard, rear wheel steering stays but gets recalibrated along with suspension.
Three ESC modes let drivers choose full nanny, relaxed Dynamic setting, or completely off for proper skids.
New lightweight bucket seats sit lower than other GT models, wrapped in leather and Alcantara mix that maintains Bentley luxury standards.
Digital displays and touchscreen remain, but rear passengers get a leather-wrapped carbon tub instead of seats.
