Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible Debuts at Goodwood

The long awaited, eagerly anticipated (by the very wealthy) Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible went to Goodwood this weekend, where it made its on track and public debut. Of course, the Goodwood Festival of Speed was the perfect venue for Bentley's most powerful open-air vehicle to show off.

The car was paired throughout the event with its driver, Derek Bell, known to the Bentley aficionados as the Bentley Boy. Alongside the Supersports Convertible sat and drove the coupe version of the Continental, one year after it faced the public for the first time at the same location.

Both vehicles pack a 6l, twin-turbocharged W12 engine with an output rating of 630 horsepower. In the convertible's case, the unit propels the vehicle to 100 km/h from a perfect standstill in 3.9 seconds, while on route to its top speed of 202 mph (325 km/h).

The engine is paired with a revised ZF 6HP26 transmission with Quickshift system, a feature which helps cut shift times to half. The car has an increased rear track (by 50 mm) for improved grip and stability, standard-fit carbon-ceramic brakes, carbon fiber front sport seats, and 20-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels.

Wearing a price tag of $280,400 (EUR226,457), the car is already available for order (as is the coupe version), with deliveries expected to begin later this summer. The release of the convertible one year after its coupe counterpart marks Bentley's departure from the usual release schedule, after a study showed Bentley owners usually spend in between 12 to 18 months with their cars, before going for a new one.