Bentley Continental GTC Supersports ISR | Noticed

Bentley doesn’t go about record-setting like lots of its rivals. Whereas the likes of Porsche will set their sights on lapping the Nordschleife quicker than any manufacturing automotive ever has, Bentley takes a extra left-field method. A bit like 2018, the place it set a file time up the Pikes Peak hill climb – in a Bentayga SUV.

Seven years earlier, it set itself an much more weird problem: break a manufacturing automotive pace file – on ice. Why? God solely is aware of. Bentley had claimed the file at 199.83mph with a modified Continental GT again in 2007, and it was eager to interrupt the 200mph barrier with its subsequent run in 2011. With four-time World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen on the wheel of a Continental GTC Supersports, the bar was raised to 205.48mph. With the file now firmly in its pocket, the one factor left to do was launch a limited-edition automotive to rejoice.

That is what the model got here up with: the Continental GTC Supersports ISR (for Ice Pace File). Pink door graphics, crimson wheels and a white physique nearly work on a GT3 RS, however it’s a peculiar sight on a automotive not recognized for its prowess on observe. On the within, the theme continued with crimson carbon fibre trim across the dashboard and centre console, together with crimson stitching on the black leather-based seats. It’s a design that received’t be to everybody’s style, however it actually set the ISR aside from, properly, just about something to come back out of Crewe up till then.

Bentley didn’t cease there with the modifications, both. The ISR retained the identical twin-turbo, 6.0-litre W12 because the common Continental GT Supersports, solely energy elevated to 640hp – 10hp greater than the bottom automotive. And earlier than you scoff on the modest improve, on the time, it was essentially the most highly effective manufacturing automotive the corporate had ever made, whereas its 3.8-second 0-62mph time cemented it because the agency’s quickest convertible. And, after all, we all know it’ll go away every part in its mud when issues get a bit icy.

However regardless of the GT3 RS-graphics down the aspect, the GTC Supersports ISR remains to be a suet pudding at coronary heart. It weighs in at over 2.3 tonnes, and that features a important weight saving over a typical Continental GTC. That stated, critics on the time agreed the Supersports was a vastly extra driver-focused automotive than the bottom Conti. It featured a brand new Quickshift automated gearbox, slashing shift occasions by 50 per cent, whereas Bentley’s new Steady Damping Management prevented the automotive from rolling about like a galleon in a storm.

With solely 100 examples produced (a 3rd of the GT3-R’s manufacturing run) the ISR is among the rarest Bentley manufacturing automobiles of the 21^st Century. However whereas it carries a premium over a typical Continental GT – as they’re going for peanuts lately – you’ll be able to nonetheless choose one up for below six figures. This instance is about as near collector grade as you will get, with solely 7,200 miles on the clock and comes within the sought-after GT3 RS-style red-on-white color scheme. All for £89,990. Not dangerous for record-inspired rarity, even when that file isn’t fairly as glamorous as setting a searing time up Pikes Peak. For that, you’ll need one in all these.

Engine: 5,998cc W12, twin-turbocharged
Transmission: 6-speed automated, all-wheel drive
Energy (hp): [email protected],000rpm
Torque (lb ft): [email protected],000rpm
MPG: 17
CO2: 388g/km
12 months registered: 2012
Recorded mileage: 7,200
Worth new: £189,550
Yours for: £89,990