White Knight of Clean Tailpipe Emissions with the Soul of a Dark Lord
Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

New for 2010 is a very important and extremely special car from Bentley, important for the British marque in that it debuts green technology that reduces noxious emissions, and special to Bentley fans because this new technology makes the Continental Supersports the most powerful and therefore fast road-going Bentley yet.

2010 Bentley Continental Supersports

Before the car debuted Bentley teased us with a front fascia shot, and then when the luxury brand’s first foray into greener pastures emerged in full 360-degree glory it became apparent that the British marque had created a white knight of clean tailpipe emissions with the soul of a dark lord.

Some might consider its elegant white paint scheme angelic considering its E85-capable powertrain, giving the big coupe the ability to burn an ethanol/gasoline mixture that dramatically reduces toxic air pollutants due to the ability to reduce up to 70-percent of CO2 emissions on a ‘well-to-wheel’ basis, while others will look to its 621 brake horsepower W12 engine boasting 590 lb-ft of torque, as mentioned the most powerful road-going Bentley ever, as borderline demonic. The gearbox has been modified with Quickshift too, a new development that halves gear change times.

“The Continental Supersports reflects the passion and enthusiasm of Bentley’s engineers and designers,” stated Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive. “This is the fastest, most extreme Bentley ever, dramatically styled to underline its supercar character. Importantly, it also pioneers the use of FlexFuel technology in the luxury sector.”

2010 Bentley Continental Supersports

It’s an automotive paradox, a car capable of rocketing to 100 km/h in a mere 3.9 seconds before topping out at 204 mph (329 km/h), thanks to all of its torque arriving at just 1,750 rpm before twisting each of its four wheels for ultimate traction at takeoff. The engine features sensors for monitoring the amount of gasoline and/or ethanol that is being used, benefiting fuel economy as well as power delivery.

On the eco/performance agenda was a diet of sorts, although the car’s 110-kilo (243-pound) reduction in curb weight probably hasn’t affected its overall performance/fuel economy ratio all that much. What it has affected is seating capacity, with the rear seats now removed and a weight-saving luggage deck installed. Other lightweight goodies include new carbon fibre seatbacks and trim, the latter replacing what would normally be wood veneer, and lighter weight wheels.

Those wheels look purposeful, especially at back where they protrude out further thanks to a 50-mm (2-inch) wider track augmented by new flared rear wings. This isn’t the only visual change, of course, with two vertical intake slots and twin hood vents integrated into the revised front fascia, aiding airflow to the upgraded cooling system needed to manage the extra power.

Setting the Supersports apart from the mere mortal GT Speed model, is the addition of an exclusive dark-smoked steel finish to all exterior “brightware”, as Bentley calls it, including front grilles, lamp bezels, window surrounds and those wheels. It’s not just a colour change to the chrome either, but rather “a complex ‘Physical Vapour Deposition’ process is applied to all stainless steel components to give a lustrous and highly durable finish…” says Bentley in a press release… an “industry first” process that is normally only used for coating “industrial tools, watches and even hip replacement joints.”

Just like the “Speed” moniker is pulled forward from Bentley’s past, the “Supersports” name was inspired by a two-seat 3-litre Supersports model offered in 1925, a special model that was an evolution of the 3-litre Speed of the day. The original Supersports was designed to be lighter in weight than the car it was based on, and more powerful at 85 bhp!  It was actually the first production Bentley to reach 100 mph, and like today’s car was respected for applying Le Mans-winning race technology to its record-setting performance.

2010 Bentley Continental Supersports

The new car might not be record-setting, in that it’s not the quickest or fastest two-door coupe on the market, but it just might be the fastest E85-capable production vehicle available (the Corvette ZR-1 isn’t E-85 capable in stock form). Bentley is certainly entering the green world with a bang!

And what of the price? A total of $267,000 is what you’ll need to pay for Bentley’s green, luxurious new ride. Last month Bentley started taking orders, and it should be noted that the first couple of hundred units to be sold in North America will be gasoline-only, with the flex-fuel model arriving in the summer of 2010. Ceramic brakes are part of the package, and all of the details already mentioned, which will make it an amazingly capable ride.

And trust me when I tell you this, because I’ve driven pretty well every recent Bentley this side of the Le Mans winning Speed 8. This makes me look forward to opening the Continental Supersports’ driver’s door and sliding inside, breathing in the rich leathers and feeling the cool smoothness of its carbon fibre embellishments. And then experiencing just how good green can get!