RE: Driven: Bentley Continental Supersports

RE: Driven: Bentley Continental Supersports

Author
Discussion

Greg_D

6,542 posts

252 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
are they seriously suggesting that one department just happened to be developing a better gearbox at the same time as another department just happened to be hopping the engine up at the same time as another dept just happened to be looking into weight saving.

Don't give us this 'charmingly eccentric british purveyor of motor vehicles' line, this was as planned as the latest GT* version of the 911

it doesn't make the car any less desirable, so why even say it?

it's a car that i have always liked, but as alluded to in the article, it has indeed suffered by association with the orange cheshire set and as such i have never been particularly tempted to own one.

LuS1fer

41,668 posts

251 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
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I think the Aston experience possibly falls short of the dream but I love these big quality sports barges - just would love to drive one and not be disappointed by the speed and handling.

soad

33,398 posts

182 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
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Personally I love these - looks great, and immense power despite the bulk.
Luxurious too

DayTrader

776 posts

173 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
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johnpeat said:
In a photo it's not really about the materials - that LOOKS like the steering wheel from a Toyota - was my point...
Well spotted - they are both round. wobble

derestrictor

18,764 posts

267 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
We're all guilty of espousing snobbish biases but in an era of mass production the true petrol head must eschew this prejudicial temptation in favour of objective assessment.

The seeming incongruity between 'classic' brands, notions of associated characters and romantic legend when considered against the sort of knuckle scraping illiterates too often seen helming the modern cars (invariably with an outstretched Popeye forearm throttling the wheel at 12 o'clock) is certainly depressing but must be held in check...

In abstract, I love it to bits.

How could I not?

The only factors differentiating this and a Towns styled Vantage are tertiary; modernity, ubiquity, the aforementioned 'issues' and, er, nowt else.

Frankly, the trick is to acknowledge the PHer who might, applaud them and not succumb to lazy, populist bias.

Zod

35,295 posts

264 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Blingtastic!

Not for me, but lots of the kind of person who buys Louis Vuitton monogrammed suitcases will buy these.

Greg_D

6,542 posts

252 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Zod said:
Blingtastic!

Not for me, but lots of the kind of person who buys Louis Vuitton monogrammed suitcases will buy these.
sorry, but you are wrong there.

you could level it at the standard offering, but the one pictured has no exterior chrome that i can see from a casual glance, is black with smoked alloys.

What exactly is bling about it?

shortar53

548 posts

279 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
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johnpeat said:
Ostentatious pretty-much means vulgar (and/or pretentious or showy) so that's like saying something is dark and black or shiny and bright... smile
I've seen plenty of shiny black cars... in fact, there are several in this article.
also, you can get matte orange lambos - and they're quite bright.
more like loud and noisy or quiet and peaceful, I'd say.
Back on topic, that car looks Epic from some angles, and I'd imagine one of the best if you need to cover mega miles at mega speeds

Zod

35,295 posts

264 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Greg_D said:
sorry, but you are wrong there.

you could level it at the standard offering, but the one pictured has no exterior chrome that i can see from a casual glance, is black with smoked alloys.

What exactly is bling about it?
How can I be wrong? It's a subjective judgement.

The Continental GT is and always has been overweight, oversized and vulgar.

We all have our prejudices (look at any BMW or Audi thread). This is one of mine. I wouldn't be seen dead in one.

Vintageseekers

107 posts

191 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
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As ever, Derestrictor has spoken with clarity that only Debeers could achieve. Simply put, just because footballers or Russian Oligarchs can afford and indeed purchase such boundary pushing/technology advances in machinery doesn't mean they are vulgar. how could a 170k car not be classed so in the proletariat eyes. Bentley has moved on at a breathtaking pace and has produced an enormously capable machine that people who can only work there feet twice a week can manage to keep on the narrow strip of asphalt. Everything about the Bentley oozes the best that money can buy, taste? no one else but you can decide what you consider tasteful.

Hmm think you may have started something here MrD

Indeed, How could you not!

derestrictor said:
We're all guilty of espousing snobbish biases but in an era of mass production the true petrol head must eschew this prejudicial temptation in favour of objective assessment.

The seeming incongruity between 'classic' brands, notions of associated characters and romantic legend when considered against the sort of knuckle scraping illiterates too often seen helming the modern cars (invariably with an outstretched Popeye forearm throttling the wheel at 12 o'clock) is certainly depressing but must be held in check...

In abstract, I love it to bits.

How could I not?

The only factors differentiating this and a Towns styled Vantage are tertiary; modernity, ubiquity, the aforementioned 'issues' and, er, nowt else.

Frankly, the trick is to acknowledge the PHer who might, applaud them and not succumb to lazy, populist bias.

johnpeat

5,328 posts

271 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
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shortar53 said:
I've seen plenty of shiny black cars... in fact, there are several in this article.
You can't read can you?

BigCraig94

397 posts

165 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
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I was in the Continental SS Convertible a few months back, astonishingly quick. Really does blow you away!!

derestrictor

18,764 posts

267 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Zod said:
The Continental GT is and always has been overweight, oversized and vulgar.

We all have our prejudices (look at any BMW or Audi thread). This is one of mine. I wouldn't be seen dead in one.
Wrt, Herr Z, Bentleys have always been very heavy.

They have always been large.

Vulgarity?

No, no, that just will not do, especially from the quill of counsel of yon eminence.

All these 'post classic era GT' moderns are too easily condemned, thus; including your delicious DB9 which let's be honest, appears in numbers across the land to rob the marque, at least in part, of memories of a mystique which characterised its majesty during one's youth.

Ditto Ferrari, Lamborghini and to a lesser degree, Porsche.

Does that mean I'm less inclined to fake an I.D. to The Petrocelli Goddam Alpha Male Appreciation Soc in order to relieve you of that very emotional control unit?

Doth it hellers like!

Zod

35,295 posts

264 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
All of the marques that excited me as a child have become much more commonplace and their equivalent today is probably Pagani - you almost never see one unfortunately.

Yes, I understand that Bentleys have always been big (hence the classic quip about lorries), but these ones with the Audi gearchange gate just don't have the class of an Azure. My DB9 has a V for Volvo embossed in the underside of its wing mirrors, but I can pretend that's not there. If I had a Continental, I'd forever see the gearchange gate that looks the same as the ones onteh A4s along my street.

derestrictor

18,764 posts

267 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
A tenuous pretext for rejection, Sir.

I honestly think you'd enjoy it.

Trommel

19,432 posts

265 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
In agreement that there is very little difference between the Conti GT demographic and the DB9 one - lots of dubious flash cash in both (and have you seen the DBS?).

I've softened towards the GT and would have one (in the right colours).


MogulBoy

2,983 posts

229 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
With the exception of one detail, the third brake light strip on the top of the rear window that to me is overdone, and dare I say it 'vulgar', I have always liked these and couldn't care a jot about the image or the Phaeton undercrackers.

However my view is that the Speed is the zenith and the Supersport doesn't add any further appeal.

I took this snap on the stand in 2010 to highlight the comedic size of the front discs (from the Speed) but the perspective may be lost as you can't tell how big that chap is and he well be the anti-Kylie Minoge (large and perfectly formed) as it looks rather modest (but he is standing a meter or so in front of it).


Zod

35,295 posts

264 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
Trommel said:
In agreement that there is very little difference between the Conti GT demographic and the DB9 one - lots of dubious flash cash in both
I'll see you on Hampstead Heath at dawn for that!

ikky85

Original Poster:

68 posts

161 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
I think the connection with the Bentley and vulgarity stems from Jezza Clarkson's opinions. Hes constantly slating footballers (rightly or wrongly) and extraordinary looking people who spend lots of money to look so cheap. Even the Range Rover hasn't escaped the Range Rooney as he calls it

Alot of these "tuning" houses dont help either look at the all carbon fibre DB9 from Mansory a bit OTT.


Wills2

24,132 posts

181 months

Thursday 16th June 2011
quotequote all
mylesmcd said:
Love it.

Right up until I saw the old A6 gate for the gear selector......why o why......
And the flappy paddles from the MKI Touareg.