Bentley Continental Supersports to return with ‘pure’ V8 power

According to British publication Autocar, the first new Continental Supersports since 2017 will be powered by the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 seen in the GT Speed, but it will ditch that vehicle’s transmission-mounted electric motor to become a ‘pure’ petrol model. 

Due to arrive in 2026 after its reveal later this year, it’s expected to be the fastest, lightest and most expensive Continental GT ever, in order to spearhead a new range of ‘extreme’ performance models from Bentley. 

The new Continental GT flagship will give Bentley a unique offering as Audi – which is also part of the Volkswagen Group – looks to use a hybrid version of the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 in its 2026 RS6 Avant (wagon) to be sold alongside the RS6 e-tron electric vehicle (EV). 

By binning the electric motor, battery and plug-in hybrid setup, the two-door Continental Supersports will lack the peak power of the 575kW GT Speed – and its 522kW 6.0-litre W12-powered predecessor (Autocar suggests it will produce 441kW) – but it will carry far less weight. 

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Bentley is reportedly targeting a final kerb weight of 2000kg or less – a substantial 459kg less than the GT Speed – so it’s likely to match or better its more powerful stablemate’s 3.1-second 0-60mph (97km/h) acceleration claim. 

As part of its mass reduction program, it may also feature carbon-fibre body panels, lightweight front seats and even the removal of its rear seats in order to save weight and deliver an engaging drive from behind the wheel. 

To that end, the Supersports will reportedly revert to a traditional rear-wheel drive layout by ditching the GT Speed’s all-wheel drive system, further reducing the kilogram count.

The Supersports is expected to cost £400,000 ($A832,706) in the UK, where the GT Speed is priced at £237,000 ($A493,378), so you can expect a similarly large price premium over the GT Speed coupe’s Australian price of $581,900 before on-roads. 

Bentley introduced hybrid versions of its two-door Continental GT (in the UK) and four-door Flying Spur models earlier this year, joining the plug-in hybrid ‘Ultra Performance’ Speed variants launched in September 2024. 

In 2024, then-Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark confirmed the historic brand would continue to offer hybrid vehicles beyond 2030, scrapping a previous plan to sell only EVs after the end of this decade.

In June this year, it announced the new Bentayga Speed SUV – which swapped its previous W12 engine in favour of a 478kW/820Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, enabling a claimed 3.5-second 0-100km/h time. 

Australian pricing for the V8-powered Bentayga Speed is yet to be announced.  

Last month Bentley revealed its first EV concept, the high-riding EXP 15 ‘elevated sporting sedan’, which previewed its future design direction.

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