Bentley Continental GTC ISR

 

What‘s it? Earlier in 2012, four times WRC champion Juha Kankkunen drove a Bentley Continental Supersports at 205mph on the frozen stretch from the Baltic Sea. Bentley is producing 100 of those catchily titled Bentley Continental Supersports Ice Speed Record, or ‘ISR’, cars in celebration from the Guinness World Record he recorded. The ISR is a great many items : at £189, 550 it‘s the priciest Continental yet produced, and because of the 631bhp torrent of power from of their six-litre twin turbo, 12 cylinder motor, it’s also the foremost powerful Bentley inside the company’s 92 year history. Moreover it hits 60mph in 3. 8sec which suggests additionally it is the foremost accelerative convertible ever to don the wings. To ensure you don’t mistake it to the common-or-garden standard convertible Supersports, the ISR has what even Bentley describes as ‘dramatically extrovert’ styling. On the exterior which means black or white paint, and also a grey metallic finish to its roof.

Inside, the cabin is dominated by slabs of red carbon fibre with red piping or stitching upon the seats, doors, steering wheel and also the paddle shifts. Even the Breitling clock has turned red. Meanwhile Alcantara replaces leather upon the doors and elements of the seats. Completing the £7450 upgrade package is that the new touchscreen navigation system from new generation of Continental GT. All the ISR's most garish adornments are both optional and free. What is it like? Dynamically It‘s extraordinary : not since it sets new standards for performance or handling since it doesn’t, but instead for how good It‘s given its 2395kg weight. It ought to be the world’s fastest pudding, but it’s not : so long while you avoid the limit it’s poised, fluent and fast.

Only whenever you really start lobbing it around will it become victim to its avoirdupois. You need to adopt a slow-in, fast-out approach to keep your car on line and produce the foremost of their prodigious traction. However the result‘s still a car that feels somewhat uneasy in its new skin. It‘s adore it wants to become a true sports car yet it’s at its best touring the wide open spaces where one can make the foremost of their phenomenal performance and therefore are affected least by the restrictions of their weight. Should I buy one? The small upgrade in power is welcome, but I still cannot avoid concluding that if you prefer a Bentley for touring, the new GTC could be better by far, and if you would like one for driving you ought to select a Supersports coupe.

This plan to combine the very best of both is successful only in parts. Bentley Continental Supersports ISR Price : £189, 550 ; 0-60mph : 3. 8sec ; Top speed : 202mph ; Kerb weight : 2395kg ; Economy : 17. 3mpg ; Co2 : 388g / km ; Engine : W12, 5995cc, petrol, twin turbocharged, longitudinal, four-wheel drive ; Max power : 631bhp at 6000rpm ; Max torque : 590lb ft at 2000rpm ; Gearbox : 6-speed auto.