bentley continental supersports isr review

Under hard acceleration, the nose tips skywards as you’re rocketed down the road, and there’s noticeable lean as you turn in to a bend.Įven so, the way this car surges forwards, combined with the stopping power of the carbon-ceramic brakes, makes for a truly phenomenal driving experience.And then there’s the options. Despite crushing acceleration and endless grip through corners, you can’t fight physics – the 2,395kg ISR struggles for body control when you throw it around. The softest delivers a supple ride, but the firmest is only really suited to perfectly smooth surfaces. This also sharpens the throttle response and lets the gearbox kick down more readily. Slot the chunky gearlever into S and the exhausts are set to full volume, all of the time. But hold a gear past 2,000rpm and the car lets out an incredible boom that ricochets off buildings and fills the cabin, especially with the roof down. If you leave the six-speed auto in D, the refinement is superb. Squeeze the throttle at any speed and if the car’s extroverted style doesn’t get you noticed, the noise it makes definitely will. The changes include a free-flowing – and much louder than standard – sports exhaust. The 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 has been tweaked to produce 631bhp – 10bhp more than the Supersports GTC on which this model is based. You should ignore the flashy exterior and questionable red carbon fibre weave inside, as this car is all about its engine.

Arctica White and Quartzite Grey are also available. Fortunately, our test car was fitted with more subtle dark wheels and painted in Beluga Black. It’s also the most garish, with red Supersports ISR graphics on the flanks, red bonnet vents and 20-inch red wheels available as an option. Built to commemorate Juha Kankkunen’s 205mph ice speed record (hence ISR) on a frozen stretch of the Baltic Sea last year, it’s the most powerful Bentley ever, the most expensive Continental ever and the fastest convertible that the company has built to date. The Continental GTC Supersports ISR is the Bentley that can’t stop breaking records. The only small aspect is the production run of 100. Everything about it is huge – the price, weight, performance, grip and noise.

But with a new GTC available, this is a fitting send-off for the old car. With its brash exterior and booming exhaust note, the Supersports ISR will have Bentley traditionalists wincing.

Bentley continental supersports isr review