Bentley Continental Supersports ISR looses weight and then some!

When you talk Bentley, what conjures first up in your head are the images of a massive luxury sedan with all the possible amenities you could ask for. What that also means is that Bentley’s are also one of the heaviest cars on the road. And the marques weighty issues have persisted ever since its very inception. But the latest version is all set to change that.

The Continental Supersports Convertible ISR (Ice Speed Record) is the most potent and radically styled Bentley convertible ever. This new model, limited to just 100 cars worldwide, is a celebration of the Company's world ice speed record for a convertible car set by Finland's four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen in a Bentley Continental Supersports convertible. Driving the all-wheel drive, biofuel-powered 6-litre, 12-cylinder Continental Supersports convertible on the perilous frozen Baltic Sea, off the coast of Finland, Kankkunen achieved a speed of 330.695 km/h eclipsing his own ice speed record of 321.6 km/h set in 2007 in the Continental GT.

Propelling this “light” heavyweight is the 6-litre, twin turbo-charged W12 engine which pushes out 640 PS and a massive 800Nm of torque. Paired with a Quickshift six-speed automatic transmission, it launches the convertible 'Ice Speed Record' model from 0-100 km/h in 4.0 seconds flat and 160 km/h in just 9.4 seconds.

In common with its Continental stable mates, the new Supersports model runs on both petrol or E85 bio-ethanol or any combination of the two. Pioneered in the Supersports coupe, this FlexFuel technology offers a reduction of up to 70 per cent in CO2 emissions on a well-to-wheel basis, a measure of a fuel's net contribution to the atmosphere, not just tailpipe emissions. The on-board fuel supply system monitors the content of the fuel tank and ensures that power and torque remain constant regardless of the ratio of petrol to biofuel.

The Supersports 'Ice Speed Record' is distinguished by its extrovert and muscular design cues that reinforce the uncompromising performance of this extreme Bentley convertible. Bentley's designers have selected three 'stand-out' exterior paint colours for the new convertible: Beluga, Quartzite and, fittingly, Arctica White. These colours are complemented by a Dark Grey Metallic soft top with Bentley's refined three-ply composite construction.

Bentley has also made sure that nothing is compromised on the inside. The Supersports 'Ice Speed Record', despite its ice racing pedigree, is clearly no 'stripped out' racer. Its highly specified interior has the highly-advanced touchscreen infotainment system from the new Continental GT that provides rich map imagery and a 30GB on-board hard drive. Traditional leather hides sit alongside a range of contemporary materials for a distinctly sporting style. This includes diamond-quilted Alcantara to doors, quarter panels and seat facings, and 'soft-grip' leather on the steering wheel and gear lever.

The best from Crewe yet? You bet.