630hp Bentley Continental Supersports at Geneva

 

An impressive 110kg lighter than the standard Continental GT Speed, the Supersports will hit 62mph from rest in just 3.9 seconds, not bad for a car still weighing the wrong side of two tonnes. Standard-fit ceramic brakes help trim a few of these kilos, while a 50mm wider track and suitably flared rear wheel arches help bulk up the visual muscle.

 

The result of an in-house exercise to try and trim a few excess kilos from the Continental GT, the Supersports morphed into a production reality when the wider benefits of the engineers’ work was realised. Increased turbo boost pressure – requiring a 10% rise in engine airflow into the bargain – lead to the headline 630hp output.

A 20hp hike over the Continental GT Speed, torque also climbs from 553lb ft to an incredible 590lb ft. Six tenths faster to 62mph than the GT Speed, the Supersport’s extra acceleration isn’t just down to the engine mods either. A new Quickshift version of the six-speed auto cuts shift times by 50%, blipping downshifts also featuring.

 

But what about those supposed eco credentials? Well, pitching a 200mph-plus super coupe as a green car was always going to be a challenge but, as detailed last year, Bentley prefers to talk about ‘well to wheel’ emissions, claiming by this measure the Supersport’s ability to run on E85 reduces CO2 emissions by 70%.

VIDEO: watch our film of Bentley at the Geneva show