Bentley unveils its 2011 Continental Supersports Convertible

Bentley has revealed the look and the details on its 2011 Continental Supersports Convertible, a model that joins the 2009 Continental Supersports Coupé in Bentley’s supercar range. According to Bentley the new Supersports Convertible “is the fastest, most potent drop‑top” the brand has ever built.

Powered by a 6-litre W12 twin-turbocharged engine, the new Continental Supersports Convertible has 630 PS of maximum power and 800Nm of torque. The FlexFuel engine and the new Quickshift transmission joint together enable acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 4.2 second, with the four-seat Supersports Convertible reaching a top speed of 325 km/h.

The new Continental Supersports Convertible brings new design features to the Supersports, which include the revised front air intakes and new bonnet vents, flared rear wings and a discreet bootlid spoiler.

With the increase of the power and torque of the W12 engine, Bentley needed to give more airflow to the twin turbocharger intercoolers and cooling system. The solution brought up by designers at Bentley was the creation large vertical intake apertures and the twin bonnet vents.

As in all of Bentley’s models, a special attention was given to the luxurious cockpit, as explains Dirk van Braeckel, Director of Design and Styling, “The design team has fully embraced the spirit of Supersports to create a dramatic interpretation of Bentley luxury for the new Convertible where traditional craftsmanship and fine detailing are given a very different interpretation. Leather hides combine with new materials for Bentley such as satin-finished carbon fibre and Alcantara™ to create a unique ambience with a distinctly sporting and contemporary style.”

The FlexiFuel technology is another feature of the Continental Supersports Convertible. This technology, which will be extended to the complete 2011 Continental range, enables the W12 6-litre engine to run on petrol, E85 bioethanol or any mixture of the two fuels from a single tank.