km : Automotive News

Debuting at the 2010 Geneva show, Bentley's Continental Supersports Convertible isn't a new model full of surprises. There is perhaps one surprise, and that's the fact that it actually has a rear seat, something its steel-top brother does without. Perhaps it was left in because Bentley wants to ensure it retains the "fastest four-door convertible in the world" title, or maybe it's just because Bentley realizes a convertible already compromises peak athleticism, so what's the point of chopping the rear seat to have a fully-exposed, less complete cabin? Still, the front sport seats use carbon fiber shells and save about 99 pounds versus the stock buckets.

Most of the other weight savings measures on the car focus on reducing unsprung weight. Lighter 20-inch alloy wheels save 22 pounds, while standard carbon ceramic brake rotors are 44 pounds lighter than the standard steel parts. These savings, along with an insane, 621-hp, 590-lb-ft six-liter W-12 engine with twin turbochargers, allows the Supersports convertible to deliver 60 mph worth of wind in your hair in just 3.9 seconds, while the run from 0-100 mph takes just 9.6 seconds.



Playing into the Supersports image, the new convertible makes extensive use of carbon fiber, Alcantara, and "soft grip" leather, while body enhancements like a spoiler and hood vents work to improve aerodynamics and aid engine cooling. All brightwork on the car is finished in a smoked steel look that's applied through the first use of "physical vapor deposition" in the automotive sector.

Overall, you're just looking at a topless version of the Supersports Coupe introduced last fall. Like all new Continentals, it will be bio-fuel compatible, and since the coupe costs about $270,000, expect the most exotic of Continental convertibles to start pushing up against the $300,000 mark.

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