Used 2018 Bentley Continental Supersports for SaleNationwide

The Bentley Continental Supersport was launched in 2017 as a flagship for Bentley’s performance line, and it moves forward into 2018 mostly unchanged. Last year, the car was available in both hardtop coupe and convertible body styles, but in anticipation of a new coupe body style for 2019, there are no 2018 coupe models anywhere in the Continental lineup. This means that for 2018, the Continental Supersports is solely a convertible affair.

The Continental Supersport immediately stands out from more plebeian Continentals through its unique ground effects, 21-inch machined wheels, large intakes, black tailpipes and grille, and tinted headlights and taillights. Standard design features for the interior include unique bucket seats for all four occupants with quilted leather and suede and a checkered carbon fiber trim - not to mention colored accents all throughout. Of course, the term “standard design features” at Bentley is a loose one because the brand’s Mulliner department will be happy to help customers configure any one of its cars to their heart’s content, right down to taking trees from owners’ estates and carving them up into wood veneers.

Engine-wise, the Continental Supersports is a veritable powerhouse. Bentley has taken the twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 engine from the Continental GT Speed and massaged it to an earth-shattering 700 horsepower and 750 pound-feet of torque. There’s an 8-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels, but drivers can choose gears manually with the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Bentley has also borrowed the brake-based torque vectoring system in the Continental GT3-R to help the giant grand-touring car stay on its intended curve. The Continental Supersports only needs 3.7 seconds to hit sixty miles per hour, which is impressive for such a large vehicle. Fuel economy numbers are 12 mpg in the city, 20 on the highway, and 14 combined.

The current-generation Continental line is at the end of its lifespan, so the technology won’t exactly impress anyone, but for the Supersport variant, there are heated seats with memory, a power tilt-telescoping steering column, Bluetooth audio and calling, dual-zone automatic climate control, navigation, and keyless entry and start. However, the Supersport is more about the prestige and overall package than a laundry list of items.

As far as safety features, there are just airbags and a reversing camera. Blind-spot monitoring isn’t anywhere in the Continental lineup and the Supersport, because of its unique front bumper, can’t be equipped with Bentley’s radar cruise control. Naturally, it’s no agency’s priority to crash-test a rare exotic like the Continental Supersport, so there’s no data there.

The Bentley Continental Supersport more or less lets its owners have it all with unbelievable performance, comfortable seating for four, and drop-top fun. When the current convertible body style is retired, expect the Supersport as a whole to disappear, too, at least for a little while.