This review was first published in Issue 207 of Top Gear magazine (2010)

The road is perfectly surfaced, invitingly wide and coiled like a broad, pale, concrete snake up a breathlessly scenic mountain. I’m sat at the bottom in a Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible, roof down, listening to the deep-chested, purring whisper of the 621bhp W12, sunshine burning through the ‘King James’ red paintwork and my increasingly burnished forehead in equal measure. But there is a problem: the speed limit is a slow-motion 25mph and the local – armed – American police seem to be inordinately well-funded. They infest the route with depressing regularity.

Yup, that’s right. I’m sat in 202mph of the fastest four-door convertible in the world, and the local speed limits mean that I can break the most extreme of them in first gear, with the other five ratios in the six-speed ‘box simply deciding how many nights I get to spend in a Rocky Mountain jail trying not to look anyone in the eye. I don’t think there’s a word in the dictionary for this kind of frustrated. So far it translates in my head as “Nnnnnnggg”. Best said while rocking gently back and forth.

One of the main reasons is that this chop-top really does look the part. The bloodthirsty paint looks spectacular in this potent sunshine, the black 20-inch wheels the perfect foil for such an eye-gouging colour. The black hood is currently stowed, exposing a beautiful interior full of contrast stitch and pipe, quilt and carbon fibre. It feels special. The exterior gets much of the Supersports treatment carried over from the SS Coupe: slightly darker light clusters – in fact all the brightware on the car is gently black-chromed – slash-cut intercooler feeds on the outer edges of the redesigned front bumper, those flow-formed super-lightweight black wheels. The other stuff is harder to spot; the rear track is wider – handled in the offset of those rims – the ride height is some 10mm lower than the GTC at the front and 15mm at the rear, and hot air vents are Supersports-spec and tucked into the line of the bonnet. A suite of changes that add up to one hard-looking convertible, with even Bentley referring to it as an ‘extreme machine’.

A couple of bits certainly don’t match the ‘extreme Bentley’ pitch though: one is the multi-layer fabric hood, and the other is the re-introduction of a pair of back seats in place of the Supersport Coupe’s lateral brace bar. A roll-back roof and extra seating for passengers? Doesn’t sound extreme to me. But in the context of this particular car, it makes perfect sense.

The reason? Well, there’s a tendency to regard any very high-performance cabrio with suspicion. They are, if you think in straight lines, quite fabulously contradictory. If you want toothy and sharp in extremis, then it’s unlikely you also require a convertible roof from which to admire your lack of torsional rigidity. Basically, you don’t chop the roof off a car and then show your re-working quite so blatantly. Anyway, it’d look a bit crap and you’d be inviting other engineers to look at it and laugh out loud. In technical terms, it’d be very much shutting the door after the horse had kicked the door off its hinges.

retro review: the bentley continental gtc supersports

Instead the Convertible has all the usual structure tweaks to cope with the loss of the upper portion of the important bit. Higher-strength steel in the remaining backbone of the monocoque, some whacking great big cross braces under the floor to tie the front to the back, and the left to the right. It nearly works, but to be honest, you can still feel the car shimmy and kick back through the steering when it gets upset about the road surface – nothing buzz-killing, but certainly enough to notice.

Weirdly, it gets better the faster you drive. And after a few hours of respectfully weighing up the probability of cop-involvement vs driving satisfaction, we find a quiet road and let the SS bound along at its own pace. And it’s good. Gun it stupidly from a standing start and there’s not even a sniff of traction-related issues, just a seemingly endless push to the centre of your chest. There’s a definite blurry burble on upchanges that sounds for all the world like an Audi or VW DSG upchange, except deeper and more grown-up, and the 40/60 front-rear split to the four-wheel-drive system perks up the car through tighter corners, especially on initial turn-in.

The steering cruises nicely – but seems to have the comforting motorway podginess removed – much nicer when you’re going a bit quicker. The air suspension has been recalibrated, though given the fairly silky ride even in ‘Sport’ and with the dampers wound down as far as they’d go, without a stock GTC to drive back-to-back it’s hard to tell the absolute difference. It stops too: the largest diameter carbon-ceramics fitted to a production car see to that. But one thing’s for sure; this isn’t some sort of compromised special. More like the ultimate iteration of something already quite familiar.

Which is the SS’s only problem. Despite the pretensions and the terminology used by Bentley itself, it’s still unlikely that you’d be able to ruffle too many feathers with the SS. The performance – though mighty in itself – is delivered with the kind of silken thump in the back that means that it doesn’t actually feel that quick. Stare at the dials when you give it some throttle and you see the numbers free-fall upwards – a neater indication of just how fast the thing is – but in normal circumstances, I don’t think your passengers will clock it.

Now that, of course, is both a good and a bad thing. Super-civilised cruising (especially with the triple lined, acoustically-tweaked hood up) with ballistic pace. What more could you want? Well, I can get that stuff from the 600bhp Speed GTC. So when I tick the Supersports box, maybe I do want something definitively more aggressive. Louder, and much harder. Something that might make my passengers giggle nervously. The Supersports feels like a tauter GTC Speed, rather than the nearest relation to the Supersports Coupe.

Kind of hard to care though. Because this car makes you smile, simple as that. For an ageing design, it still looks spectacular wearing all the Supersports war paint, and the drive is as easy and yet comfortingly blistering as it always was. It might not be as wanton or surprisingly extreme as the Coupe, but when it comes to the most rounded fast four-seater in the world, a drop-top Continental still holds the crown.

Keyword: Retro review: the Bentley Continental GTC Supersports

CAR'S NEWS RELATED

Bentley Malaysia: The Final Bentayga Speed With W12 Engine

Bentley Kuala Lumpur bids farewell to the iconic W12 petrol powertrain with the delivery of its final Bentayga Speed, marking the last Bentayga model in Malaysia to include the W12 engine. This move follows Bentley Motor’s global announcement to discontinue the W12 engine as part of its Beyond 100 ...

View more: Bentley Malaysia: The Final Bentayga Speed With W12 Engine

Bentley’s ‘Belonging Bentayga’ Is A Tribute To Diversity And Artistry

The Artistic Endeavor A Celebration of Diversity Connecting Through Art and Automobiles A Remarkable Journey of Diverse Experiences A Lasting Commitment Bentley, renowned for its luxury vehicles, has taken a significant step forward in its mission to be the epitome of diversity among luxury car manufacturers worldwide. The company ...

View more: Bentley’s ‘Belonging Bentayga’ Is A Tribute To Diversity And Artistry

Bentley Bentayga Art Car Wears Hand-Painted Mural Of 29 World Landmarks

This is the brand's third piece showcasing its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

View more: Bentley Bentayga Art Car Wears Hand-Painted Mural Of 29 World Landmarks

Bentley Bentayga Gets Auto Climate Rear Seats, Sustainable Carpets

There's also an expanded range of customization options.

View more: Bentley Bentayga Gets Auto Climate Rear Seats, Sustainable Carpets

Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid launched at Rs. 5.25 crore

The Flying Spur Hybrid is also the most fuel-efficient Bentley, with an estimated range of over 800 km. Bentley has launched the Flying Spur Hybrid in the Indian market. The luxury limousine is priced at Rs. 5.25 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi). The Flying Spur Hybrid is offered with extensive customization ...

View more: Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid launched at Rs. 5.25 crore

1947 Bentley Mark VI Cabriolet

1947 Bentley Mark VI Cabriolet. One of the most flamboyant of the British sports car.

View more: 1947 Bentley Mark VI Cabriolet

Finally, A Convertible Bentley You Can Actually Afford

An affordable convertible Bentley, how could it be? Photo: Bentley The dream of zipping along a coastal road at sunset in a pristine convertible Bentley is a pretty lush one to have, if you ask me. But sadly, as the going rate for a new convertible Continental is north ...

View more: Finally, A Convertible Bentley You Can Actually Afford

Bentley Tricycle Inspired By Mulliner Has Quilted Leather Seat, Five-Point Belt

See Bentley Continental GT Le Mans Drag Race Flying Spur In Luxury Showdown

1960 Bentley S2 Continental Drophead Coupe

Bentley Batur gets a $32,000-worth optional sound system

Bentley Bentayga EWB Mulliner, the new flagship Bentayga

1963 Bentley S3 Continental Drophead Coupé

1956 Bentley S-Type Continental Sports Saloon

1954 Bentley R-Type 4½-Litre Saloon

Most expensive car from every brand in South Africa

Bentley Batur Features New, 20-Speaker Audio System That Costs $31,000

Driving Bentley's Gorgeous $2 Million Batur Feels Pretty Normal

Driving Bentley's Gorgeous $2M Batur Feels Pretty Normal

Uniquely Colorful Bentley Continental GTC Celebrates LGBTQ+ Community

OTHER CAR NEWS

; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel