The new Continental GT’s exterior styling represents a modest evolution from its predecessor. Competitors include the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and Aston Martin DB9. A new V-8 engine joins the lineup, lowering the car’s emissions. Subtle exterior and interior styling updates define this four-seat sports car, as does its powerful 12-cylinder engine and all-wheel-drive system. The automatic gearbox works effectively for the most part, but quite why it ever needs to kick down a gear in manual mode under wide throttle openings when there’s so much torque on hand is a mystery.It may not look like it at first glance, but the Bentley Continental GT has been redesigned for the 2012 model year. From the passenger seat in particular the Supersports feels relentlessly fast in a straight line, as though the usual problems of weight and drag just don’t apply. The engine is responsive and keen to rev, but it’s one that trades on its tidal wave of torque rather than a zingy, exciting power delivery. It’s phenomenally quick, too, that almost entirely flat torque curve and four-wheel drive giving the kind of any-speed, whatever-gear, all-conditions acceleration that Porsche 911 Turbo owners will be so familiar with.

But for one so big and heavy the Supersports is actually rather good fun to drive. The Supersports remains a 2.3-tonne leather-lined lump and no amount of torque vectoring or clever electronics or trick suspension is going to make it handle like a Porsche 911. > Bentley Bentayga - the ultimate luxury SUV? There’s also good pliancy over bumps and the steering is light, direct and completely free of slack, which also helps to reduce the sense of mass and inertia. The torque vectoring system, meanwhile, is subtle and you can’t particularly sense it working, but you are aware of a certain eagerness on the way into a corner and real positivity under power on the way out.

It is actually possible to bring the rear end around when off throttle on the way into a corner, which means the front axle doesn’t simply wash wide hopelessly bend after bend. Beyond that, the chassis balance is actually very neutral,rather than being woefully nose-led.

The Supersports keeps it masses in check quite brilliantly. The basis of that agility is tremendous body control, even over cresting, yumping, bucking road surfaces. In actual fact these cars can be uncannily agile and amusing to drive, and that’s particularly true of this more athletic Supersportsversion. All Continental GTs are built like Victorian houses and they weigh something similar, so the assumption is they’ll handle like one.

Bentley continental supersports price