Bentley Continental Supersports First Drive with Derek Bell

The recently ended Goodwood Festival of speed witnessed, alongside all of the goodies we presented you before the show, the driving debut of Bentley's most powerful car in its 90-year history. Behind the wheel of the Supersports was British former racing driver Derek Bell.

Bell had, for the duration of the festival, the "ingrate" task of harnessing all of the 621 bhp developed by 6l W12 twin-turbocharged engine. Capable on running on either petrol, E85 biofuel or any combination of the two, the FlexFuel engine on the Supersports can accelerate from a standstill to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds at tops at 204 mph (328 km/h).

The only job the the Supersports had to do at Goodwood was to do a series of searing runs up the Goodwood Hill with Bell regularly pushing it over the 100 mph threshold (160 km/h).

"The Bentley Continental Supersports, the fastest and most powerful car in the company’s 90-year history, received the ultimate examination of its supercar handling and performance credentials when Le Mans racing legend and honorary ‘Bentley Boy’ Derek Bell spent the weekend driving the 621bhp Bentley at pace during the Goodwood Festival of Speed,"Bentley said in a release.

"I've had the most fabulous three days driving this fabulous Supersports up and down the hill. I've had the most super time driving it. It really is a Supersports," Derek Bell said.

The new Bentley will be available worldwide from autumn 2009, while its FlexFuel compatibility in North America will be offered by summer 2010, following regulatory approval.