Ever since the first Continental GT was conceived, speed was pretty much at the top of the priority list. That was quite a refreshment over the previous Rolls Royce made Bentleys, and a more than welcomed one as well. The Continental GT immediately got the title for the fastest Bentley ever made, so did the Speed when it came out, and it all culminated with the 2011 Continental Supersports. Since the Supersports is meant to be the ultimate Continental, it was the lightest Bentley of the 21st century, and the fastest one, not only in terms of top speed and acceleration, but also in terms of lap times. Naturally, it also had the highest price tag of any modern Bentley apart from the flagship Mulsanne. But since the Supersports was special enough to justify its price tag, the name lived on to the second generation, and we are expecting a third one. Now, since there is a lot to talk about the Supersports we first invite you to first check if any are currently available here at Exotic Car Trader before we dive deeper into this review.
Given the success of the first generation Continental GT, Bentley decided it needed a fitting send off before the second generation arrives. And a fitting send off it was. The Continental GT Supersports was the fastest Bentley ever made until that point. Bentley did the same with the second generation in 2017 which still remains by far the most powerful Bentley ever made. As for the 2011 Continental, it’s the last production year of the second generation which saw the most updates of any previous year. Things that came with the 2008 facelift included a front end refresh, the latest generation infotainment system, a 77 lb weight reduction even on standard models, and extensive retune of the suspension and steering. Over its two year production run, Bentley sold 1,207 Supersports making it quite rare compared to other Continentals, but so much compared to older Bentley models and even the second generation Supersports which sold only 710 examples.
We’re not sure if Bentley installed carbon fiber instead of wood for the first ever once the Supersports came out, but it might just be. What would normally be covered in piano black or a variety of other planks, trees and timber, is replaced with carbon fiber in the Supersports. That includes the dashboard, the center console, doors as well as other small trim pieces. That alone makes the Supersports stand out. But that’s nothing compared to the standard bucket seats found in most examples. The bucket seats may not be as comfortable as optional standard ones, and they might be manually operated, but they save a significant amount of weight. Plus, they look much better and are more fitting for a car like the Supersports. However, it’s worth mentioning that examples with bucket seats don’t have a rear bench making the Supersports a two-seater. And relatively few customers chose the $5,000 rear seat option, at least when it comes to the coupe. Apart from that, a lot of the interior comes with alcantara inserts, such as the door trim, steering wheel and seats. But don’t worry, the alcantara is still quilted.
The exterior of the 2011 Continental Supersports saw a good number of bespoke components making it easily recognizable. The most major difference is the front bumper with vertical side outer intakes seen only on the Supersports. All front grilles are finished in black and it even features two discreet hood vents which are also in contrasting black regardless of the exterior color. Also, the grille is more upright as it is on all post 2008 Continentals, plus it gets the facelift LED daytime running lights. The side profile remains largely the same apart from new bespoke 20 inch wheels with five double spokes. The rear features a new lip spoiler which fits perfectly as the trunk lid already resembled a duck tail. Apart from that, the rear remains the same with two huge oval exhausts and the facelift LED tail lights. Overall, the Supersports looks noticeably more aggressive and does not disappoint.
There is no denying that the first generation Continental GT was already a fast car with around 580 horsepower, and the Speed even more so with 600. But the 2011 Continental Supersports boasts an impressive 630 horsepower which is the most its W12 engine ever made. The torque figures are even more impressive at 590 lb-ft, but all that torque is necessary. Even though the Continental Supersports weighs 243 lbs. less than the Continental GT Speed, it’s still a 5,143 pound vehicle. Still, such a weight reduction isn’t neglectable and together with the power increase it helps push the Supersports to 60 in just 3.7 seconds. And of course, we can’t forget the 205 mph top speed which made the Supersports faster than the Ferrari 458, the Aston Martin DBS and the Gallardo LP560-4. The Supersports also got other improvements like a 50% faster shifting time, the biggest carbon ceramic brakes ever fitted to a production car, revised suspension and Pirelli P Zero tires. All these improvements helped this enormous coupe pull 1.29 Gs in the corners, higher than most supercars of its time.
Given that the 2011 Continental Supersports was built in over 1,200 examples, it didn’t immediately jump in value as it drove off the showroom floor. The Supersports has depreciated even more than standard Continentals thanks to its $267,000 starting price in 2011. Today, you can find a Supersports in perfect condition for around $70,000 to $100,000. The cheaper examples are about the same price as the 2011 Continental GT Speed, and even those examples have less than 50,000 miles.
Whether or not the 2011 Continental Supersports will increase in value over the next ten years is impossible to tell. But given that the prices have never been lower, now is the perfect time to own one of the most important, exciting and interesting Continentals ever made. The Supersports is just as fast as the latest Continental GT Speed and it’s a much more interesting garage piece for a fraction of the price. If you are looking to buy a Continental Supersports or any other luxury car, Exotic Car Trader can make the entire process as time efficient and safe as it gets. All sales done through Exotic Car Trader include escrow protection, delivery, and first inspection. It’s also extremely convenient as everything can be done in just a few clicks or screen taps. The same goes if you sell a car through Exotic Car Trader, only in that case a professional photographer will knock on your door.
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