Bentley launches Supersports as its "most driver-focused" car to date

Promotion: Bentley Motors has created the two-seater Supersports car, which features sleek carbon-fibre surfaces and a luxurious interior designed to improve the driving experience.

With a race-informed design, it is the fourth Supersports model to be launched by Bentley, and was created to celebrate the centenary of the brand's first Super Sports car, as it was previously known.

In 1925, Bentley created its first Super Sports car with a lightweight design, allowing it to be the brand's first vehicle to exceed one hundred miles per hour.

After decades, the brand revived the name as Supersports and created two other editions of the car in 2009 and 2017, each faster and more powerful than the last.

For the latest Supersports edition, rather than designing to pursue top speeds, Bentley wanted to prioritise the driver and the driving experience.

Dark grey car by Bentley — Some of the car's elements were made from carbon fibre to make it more lightweight

"The new Supersports is more than just the most driver-focused Bentley yet," said Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser.

"It signifies a return to Bentley making more extreme cars – ones that combine extraordinary breadth of ability with true driver engagement, while remaining pieces of automotive artwork, unique and bespoke to each customer."

"Bentley has always thrived when revealing a more daring side, and the new Supersports is a statement of our intent while celebrating one hundred years of the name," he added.

Weighing under two tonnes, Bentley made several design choices to reduce the car's mass and maximise downforce. This includes using carbon fibre to construct the front lower bumper with an integrated splitter, wing mirrors, dive planes, side sills, fender blades, rear diffuser and fixed rear wing.

The roof was also made from a carbon fibre panel, which lowers the centre of gravity of the internal combustion engine-powered car.

Above the front bumper is a black mesh grille made from laser-cut aluminium, and the rear bumper was designed for aerodynamics with a built-in diffuser.

Close up of the Supersports car by Bentley — Supersports features a laser-cut aluminium grille

In place of rear seats, Bentley added a precision-engineered carbon fibre rear tub to the back of the car to reduce its overall mass, helping Supersports to be the brand's lightest car in 85 years and its vehicle with the most downforce.

Informed by motorsports, the interior has a stripped-back appearance with curved surfaces and two low-positioned seats designed uniquely for Supersports.

In keeping with the racing theme, the seats feature a lightweight design with carbon fibre inserts, sculpted cushioning and an 11-way electric adjustment system.

Interior of the Supersports car by Bentley — The car has two low-positioned seats

Bentley wanted the interior to have a luxurious feel that embodied the brand's craftsmanship, lining it in a combination of leather, carbon fibre and Dinamica microfibre fabric.

The interior comes in a choice of duo-tone colourways, a mono-colour finish, or a unique tri-tone option specially made for Supersports.

Interior of a Bentley car — Curved lines in the interior were designed to give a luxurious touch

"The interior of the new Supersports is as purposeful as the rest of the car, inspired by the energy and precision of motorsport," said Bentley.

"Two-seat only, it completes the focus on driver engagement that is the singular mission statement of the car."

Bentley worked with auto racing team Manthey Racing to create forged aluminium alloy wheels for Supersports, which measure 22 inches and are available with two tyre options.

Bentley launched the car to celebrate the centenary of its first Super Sports car

Other features of the car include a full-length titanium exhaust system by Akrapovič and black carbon ceramic brakes.

Bentley will handcraft five hundred Supersports cars in its factory in Crewe, each to be individually numbered.

The exteriors will be available in 24 paint colours in gloss or nine selected satin options, as well as five Design Theme patterns and customisation choices.

The car pictured in this article is finished in the Nightfall Design Theme, which combines a grey gloss exterior with camel-toned accents, including striped bands on the lower portion of the car's sides and the number eight on the grille.

To learn more about the car, visit the Bentley Motor website.

The photography is courtesy of Bentley Motors.

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This article was written by Dezeen for Bentley Motors as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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