Bentley’s Supersports badge celebrates its centenary in 2025, and to mark the occasion Crewe has revealed the most radical iteration to date. Not only will the new car send power exclusively to the rear wheels, but nearly 500kg has been cut from the kerb weight, resulting in the first Continental GT to weigh less than two tonnes.

This is a dramatic pivot from W12 Supersports of the past, which cranked up the power output in order to chase top speed, peaking with the 2017 model at 700bhp and 209mph. In comparison, Bentley states the new Supersports is capable of a ‘mere’ 192mph.

That's because the weight isn't the only thing that's been reduced: total power output has been dialled back to 657bhp and 800Nm (590lb-ft) of torque, making it the least powerful third-generation Continental GT.

But the numbers don't tell the whole story: Bentley has stripped out the entire hybrid system in the name of weight loss, meaning the 657bhp comes solely from the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 - far more than the 584bhp it produces in the standard car. Mated to the engine is the familiar ZF eight-speed double clutch transmission, but revised for the Supersports with uprated clutches and a new shifting strategy. Bentley claims greater response, alongside improved stability when downshifting under heavy braking.

The V8 makes its additional power courtesy of larger turbochargers, with a stronger crankcase and uprated cylinder heads developed to cope. Bentley has also fitted a full-length titanium exhaust developed with Akrapovič, which it claims is significantly more characterful than any previous Bentley road car. The system has been tuned to amplify the cross-plane V8 note without artificial in-cabin enhancement. Time will tell if it delivers - the latest EU noise regulations have already muted the Ferrari 12Cilindri and Lamborghini Temerario, despite the latter revving to 10,000rpm. 

Despite the gains, Crewe is remaining coy about the performance figures, with the aforementioned 192mph top speed being a preliminary one, and only quoting a 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds, even though the V8 now makes the highest specific output of any Bentley engine in history at 164bhp/litre.

What they aren't being shy about is the cornering performance. Bentley does have previous with a RWD Continental, but only in GT3 race car form. Making it work on the road required far more than simply deleting the front driveshafts. An electronic limited-slip differential works in concert with brake-actuated torque vectoring to sharpen turn-in and maximise grip. Aiding stability is an increase in the rear track by 16mm over the standard car.

While the front driveshafts have gone, the rear-wheel steering is retained from the all-wheel-drive Continental GT, crucial for maintaining agility in a car that still weighs the best part of two tonnes. The calibrations for the steering, suspension, traction management and ESC systems are all new, developed specifically for rear-drive dynamics. Bentley has configured three drive modes: Touring mode matches the Sport character of a Continental GT Speed but with raised ride height and softer damping; Bentley mode sharpens everything - gearbox, throttle, chassis - while opening the exhaust valves and enabling launch control; Sport mode goes further still, tuned for ultimate chassis and powertrain response.

Three modes also exist for the stability control: fully on for maximum security, Dynamic Mode for a controlled amount of slip and oversteer within reactive limits, or fully off - where the driver has complete control and can ‘provoke the Supersports into significant but highly controllable oversteer’. The hardware supporting this includes the world's largest automotive braking system: 440mm carbon-silicon-carbide discs at the front clamped by ten-piston callipers, with 410mm discs and four-piston callipers at the rear. Bentley Dynamic Ride, the proprietary 48V electric anti-roll system, can apply up to 1,300Nm of anti-roll torque in 0.3 seconds, keeping the body flat through direction changes while maintaining compliance over bumps.

The 22-inch forged wheels were developed with Manthey Racing, the Nürburgring-based Porsche tuner now under Porsche AG ownership. Bentley has tapped into Volkswagen Group's technical resources here, accessing specialists whose expertise in lightweight wheel design and brake cooling comes from decades of lap record attempts and GT racing.

With such extensive changes - and when fitted with the optional Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres - Bentley claims the Supersports can generate up to 1.3g of lateral acceleration, meaning it corners an impressive 30 per cent quicker than the Continental GT Speed. Perhaps more compelling will be the inevitable shift in character, driver engagement and agility the newfound lightness will bring.

Going rear-wheel drive hasn't been the work of a moment. The Supersports can trace its roots back to September 2024, when a small engineering team at Crewe theorised how a rear-wheel drive, sub-two-tonne Continental GT might behave dynamically. Management approved a single test mule to prove the concept, and just six weeks later, it took to the track. The mule's performance was convincing - the project was green-lit, though its existence remained closely guarded.

Needing a codename that wouldn't attract attention, the team turned to Bentley's archives and found Mildred Mary Petre, a record breaker on land, sea and in the air. In 1929, she drove a Bentley 4½ Litre around the Montlhéry circuit in France, solo, for 24 hours, averaging almost 90mph and establishing a new endurance record in the process. And so, Project Mildred was born.

Project Mildred may have been developed in secret, but the finished car makes no attempt at discretion. A brand-new front bumper integrates a full-width front splitter and dual-stacked dive planes, with cooling channels feeding air to the brakes and engine. Above it, a laser-cut aluminium grille wears a design unique to Supersports. Down the side, more aggressive sills underscore the profile, while B-shaped blades aren't just for show - they control airflow behind the front wheel arches. Vents extract air from the rear wheel arches, a diffuser sits between four exhaust tips, and a fixed rear wing takes pride of place on the boot lid.

The weight-saving extends to the roof, which has been replaced by a carbon fibre panel to lower the centre of gravity. Carbon wing mirrors and bonnet complete the exterior treatment.

Combined, the additions produce over 300kg more downforce than the Continental GT Speed. Weight distribution starts at 54:46 when stationary, shifting rearward as speed builds and the aero takes effect.

The weight-saving measures continue to the interior. Bentley has deleted the rear seats entirely - continuing one Supersports tradition - replacing them with a carbon fibre tub wrapped in leather that integrates into the rest of the cabin. Alongside the seats went the rear cabin sound insulation and the rear speaker assembly.

Up front, new ultra-aggressive (by Bentley standards) sports seats sit lower in the car than standard, with increased lateral bolstering and carbon elements across the shoulder area. Naturally, they still retain 11-way electric adjustment and heating. The seat centres, door panels and headlining are all trimmed in Dinamica, saving weight over leather, while high-gloss carbon fibre veneers feature on the waistrails and fascia as standard, with Dark Chrome specification for the metal trim. Customers can, however, specify a more understated Diamond Brushed or Engine Turned Aluminium in Dark Tint finish.

In case an owner needs reminding, Supersports embroidery and badging appear throughout, with each car receiving an individually numbered plaque on the centre console. The customisation options are extensive: 22 Main Hide colours, 11 Secondary options and nine Accent choices, available in single-tone, duo-tone (standard) or a new tri-tone colour split unique to Supersports.

That numbered plaque is one of just 500, each one handbuilt in Crewe. Order books open in March 2026, with production beginning in Q4 2026 ahead of first deliveries at the start of 2027. Pricing hasn't been announced, but expect a significant premium over the standard Continental GT given the limited numbers and level of bespoke engineering involved.

The original Super Sports became the first Bentley to crack 100mph a century ago. The new car breaks with that tradition entirely, chasing driver engagement over outright speed. On paper at least, it has everything needed to succeed.