Bentley teases rear-wheel drive V8 performance model

The first image of the rumoured Bentley Continental Supersports, sporting a lot of go-fast addenda, has been released by the luxury automaker.

From the teaser image we can see the Supersports will have a large spoiler mounted on the boot. This is complemented by a redesigned rear bumper with large strakes coming out of the rear wheel arch.

Down low there’s a prominent rear diffuser flanked by air pair of exhaust tips on both sides. There’s also gloss black alloy wheels clad in ultra-low profile rubber.

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Stills from a teaser video also show the Supersports has a heavily modified front fascia with large air intakes under the headlights, below which is a large splitter.

According to a report from Autocar, the new variant will be a lightweight model focussed more agility than outright powe, and reportedly has 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 driving the rear wheels via eight-speed dual-clutch automated transmission.

If the British magazine is correct, it would mark a return of “pure” petrol-power to the Continental range. Since the facelifted Continental was unveiled last year, the coupe and convertible have been available solely with plug-in hybrid V8 drivetrains.

The target weight for the Supersports is under 2000kg, or a reduction of at least 450kg from the plug-in hybrid Continental. Removing the battery pack and electric motor will no doubt play a large part in the loss of mass.

Other weight saving measures reportedly include carbon-fibre panels and components, lightweight front seats, and the deletion of the rear bench.

To make up for the lack of electric motivation, Bentley has turned up the wick on the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, with the eight-pot said to develop around 475kW on its own. The extra 35kW or so combined with the reduced weight means the Supersports might be able to match the GT Speed’s 0-100km/h time of 3.1 seconds.

Production of Supersports will be limited to a few hundred units, and it’s said to cost a pretty penny, with prices starting at £400,000 (A$815,000) in its homeland. The Supersports will likely debut later this year before burbling into driveways around the world from 2026.

MORE: Explore the Bentley Continental showroom