Test Drive: Bentley Continental Supersports

[VCheng]

Yeah it's funny how much the press overlooks or just states over and over. I never go into the history of the cars, people who read my reviews can find that stuff elsewhere. For example, when a mag reviews a Lotus they always mention Colin Chapman or his obsession with "adding lightness". Reading that kind of stuff over and over makes me sick to my stomach. I'm more interested in stuff like the visible glass fibres inside the trunk of a Lotus Exige or the sharp edges off the carbon fibre trim on a Ferrari 599 that will cut you if you'r not careful.

I agree with you here 100%. I would go a step further and look for information on long term issues like reliability, servicing and durability too. One of the reasons I did not get a Porsche 911 was the lack of servicing information or the tools to do it. I do not, as a matter of principle, like to be held hostage by a lack of knowledge. Thus, in my decisions, availability of factory service manuals and tools is a big factor. None of this sort of information is easily available.

Please post your impressions of the Phaeton LWB as i've never driven the car. I have to say that with the Phaeton you get a lot for your money, especially if it's pre-owned. And I commend you on not blindly going the S-Class, 7-series, A8 route. Although the A8 and Phaeton are pretty much the same car.

The Phaeton was a great car, and it is quite different than the A8L, which my brother currently has, so I can compare them back to back. The big VW has a much heavier feel. I kept it for a few months before moving on to the Lexus LS. Small issues like the ABS warning light or the Low Battery warning light for no reason always lead to sneaking doubts about its reliability. In the snow though, I cannot think of a better sedan than the Phaeton.

I currently have a 2000 Honda Accord sedan with the 5-speed manual trans. I can't say enough about Honda's reliability and the car is actually pretty decent to drive, the key being the manual transmission. In the past i've had a 1993 Honda Civic 5-speed and two 1990 Eagle Talon TSi's (Turbo AWD).

Good, solid choices. The only thing I have against the Accord is the front wheel driving dynamics, otherwsie it offers a lot. It is indeed suprising how much the personality of a car changes with an honest to goodness three pedal manual stick shift.

If my budget allowed, I would definitely go for the following cars.

AMG CLK63 Black Series
AMG C63
Porsche 997 GT3 RS (No brainer)
Ford GT
Morgan Aero 8
Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale
Aston Martin Vanquish
Noble M12
Acura NSX
Lotus Evora

All of these cars, with the exception of the Ford GT and Ferrari 360 CS, can be bought used for less than $100K. And IMO, these cars are worth every penny for the amount joy they bring to the driver.

Good fleet, but some overlap, and not a long comfortable highway cruiser (well maybe the Vanquish) or a foul weather off road capable beast in the lot? At least your bias for high performance shows through clearly.

I have checked out a little bit of your threads, will do so in more detail soon. You've got a nice collection of cars there sir! However, I do have a strong opinion on Corvette's...and it's not favorable :P.

Corvettes do elicit strong opinions, positive and negative. My remarks above regarding servicing as a factor in my decisions led me to the Corvette , but now I am looking to replace it soon. I do have the factory service manuals, and I can hook it up to my Genisys scan tool to take care of any issues that might crop up.

I'd love to hear your opinions about the Vette. Let me just say here that a tall busty American blonde may not be a chic little European sophisticate, but she sure knows how to show you a really good time!

[kahmed79]

I agree with you here 100%. I would go a step further and look for information on long term issues like reliability, servicing and durability too. One of the reasons I did not get a Porsche 911 was the lack of servicing information or the tools to do it. I do not, as a matter of principle, like to be held hostage by a lack of knowledge. Thus, in my decisions, availability of factory service manuals and tools is a big factor. None of this sort of information is easily available.

The Phaeton was a great car, and it is quite different than the A8L, which my brother currently has, so I can compare them back to back. The big VW has a much heavier feel. I kept it for a few months before moving on to the Lexus LS. Small issues like the ABS warning light or the Low Battery warning light for no reason always lead to sneaking doubts about its reliability. In the snow though, I cannot think of a better sedan than the Phaeton.

Good, solid choices. The only thing I have against the Accord is the front wheel driving dynamics, otherwsie it offers a lot. It is indeed suprising how much the personality of a car changes with an honest to goodness three pedal manual stick shift.

Good fleet, but some overlap, and not a long comfortable highway cruiser (well maybe the Vanquish) or a foul weather off road capable beast in the lot? At least your bias for high performance shows through clearly.

Corvettes do elicit strong opinions, positive and negative. My remarks above regarding servicing as a factor in my decisions led me to the Corvette , but now I am looking to replace it soon. I do have the factory service manuals, and I can hook it up to my Genisys scan tool to take care of any issues that might crop up.

I'd love to hear your opinions about the Vette. Let me just say here that a tall busty American blonde may not be a chic little European sophisticate, but she sure knows how to show you a really good time!

You've got a good reason to pick a 'Vette then. I just find them to a bit bland. There's no doubt that the performance is there but there's no character. I drove a 600+hp Callaway Z06 prototype last year in CA and although it was a blast to drive that thing in the mountain roads I just think that a GT3, Stradale, or Ford GT would be more involving and exciting to drive. I've also driven a Callaway B2K and C5 Z06. The C5 was damn fast but then again it lacked character. I have to say though, for the money you can't get a faster car but too me it's not just about going fast. I would gladly spend $50K on a late model Acura NSX then any 'Vette. The 'Vette would obliterate the NSX in terms of performance but the NSX driver would be having a lot more fun driving the car. Btw, have you driven an NSX?

The probs with the Phaeton don't surprise me one bit. Just imagine how many other problems would've come up if you still had the car now. The LS430 is a safe bet in terms of reliability and the car is silky smooth. It does fell like an appliance though.

Yeah the FWD dynamics of the Accord sure is a problem. If I had to replace it with something else right now then it would be a BMW 330i sedan (E46) with a manual trans or the first-gen Lexus IS300 with a manual.

I like all sorts of cars but I really enjoy high-performance cars. If I had to pick a highway cruiser than it would have to be the Jaguar XJ L, Porsche Panamera, or Maserati Quattroporte. In a few years, I would change my selection to the typical 7, S, A8 :D.

I really have to commend you on the manual trans in the IS, FJ, and 'Vette. The driving enthusiast in you shows loud and clear! I really liked the FJ when I drove it, it's got a lot of cool litte details.

[BMW7Series]

gr8 sir.. u seems like pakistani jeremy clarkson

[VCheng]

You've got a good reason to pick a 'Vette then. I just find them to a bit bland. There's no doubt that the performance is there but there's no character. I drove a 600+hp Callaway Z06 prototype last year in CA and although it was a blast to drive that thing in the mountain roads I just think that a GT3, Stradale, or Ford GT would be more involving and exciting to drive. I've also driven a Callaway B2K and C5 Z06. The C5 was damn fast but then again it lacked character. I have to say though, for the money you can't get a faster car but too me it's not just about going fast. I would gladly spend $50K on a late model Acura NSX then any 'Vette. The 'Vette would obliterate the NSX in terms of performance but the NSX driver would be having a lot more fun driving the car. Btw, have you driven an NSX?

I do not necessarily diasgree with your comments about the Vette but at least you now understand my rationale better. I have been on the lookout for buying an NSX, but most of them out there for sale have been flogged to within an inch of their lives or buggered otherwise. I wish I could buy one new now and I'd o that in a heartbeat.

The probs with the Phaeton don't surprise me one bit. Just imagine how many other problems would've come up if you still had the car now. The LS430 is a safe bet in terms of reliability and the car is silky smooth. It does fell like an appliance though.

The Phaeton was a great drive but it did not inspire any confidence about its long term reliability.

I must chide you for using that cliched term "appliance" when describing a Toyota/Lexus car. For the reasons that I bought the LS430, there is no other finer car that meets my needs better. I think it is the best long distance highway cruiser in the world, bar none.

Yeah the FWD dynamics of the Accord sure is a problem. If I had to replace it with something else right now then it would be a BMW 330i sedan (E46) with a manual trans or the first-gen Lexus IS300 with a manual.

Good choices, but the only thing that turned me off the first generation IS300 was the dashboard material , design and finish. If I wanted to stay with Honda, their best car is probably the V6 Accord Coupe 6 speed manual. For a front driver, that chassis is very well sorted out.

I like all sorts of cars but I really enjoy high-performance cars. If I had to pick a highway cruiser than it would have to be the Jaguar XJ L, Porsche Panamera, or Maserati Quattroporte. In a few years, I would change my selection to the typical 7, S, A8 :D.

Good choices, but would you really spend your own money on the XJ, Panamera or the Maserati, given high servicing costs and depreciation, unless you are buying used?

The big German trio are seducing for sure, but never without an extended warranty, and then I'd sell them well before that expires. I think that in the Oxford Dictionary, there should be a picture of a 750 Li, S550 or an A8 out of warranty cover under the heading MONEY PIT.

I really have to commend you on the manual trans in the IS, FJ, and 'Vette. The driving enthusiast in you shows loud and clear! I really liked the FJ when I drove it, it's got a lot of cool litte details.

Thank you for liking my choices. I have a nice spread of vehicles right now, and I do enjoy the options this particular set of six gives me.

Let's see what replaces these one by one.

[kahmed79]

I do not necessarily diasgree with your comments about the Vette but at least you now understand my rationale better. I have been on the lookout for buying an NSX, but most of them out there for sale have been flogged to within an inch of their lives or buggered otherwise. I wish I could buy one new now and I'd o that in a heartbeat.

The Phaeton was a great drive but it did not inspire any confidence about its long term reliability.

I must chide you for using that cliched term "appliance" when describing a Toyota/Lexus car. For the reasons that I bought the LS430, there is no other finer car that meets my needs better. I think it is the best long distance highway cruiser in the world, bar none.

Good choices, but the only thing that turned me off the first generation IS300 was the dashboard material , design and finish. If I wanted to stay with Honda, their best car is probably the V6 Accord Coupe 6 speed manual. For a front driver, that chassis is very well sorted out.

Good choices, but would you really spend your own money on the XJ, Panamera or the Maserati, given high servicing costs and depreciation, unless you are buying used?

The big German trio are seducing for sure, but never without an extended warranty, and then I'd sell them well before that expires. I think that in the Oxford Dictionary, there should be a picture of a 750 Li, S550 or an A8 out of warranty cover under the heading MONEY PIT.

Thank you for liking my choices. I have a nice spread of vehicles right now, and I do enjoy the options this particular set of six gives me.

Let's see what replaces these one by one.

You should be able to find a decent NSX but it will take some time. One test drive is all that will take to convert you :).

The term "appliance" is cliched, no doubt, but one that aptly describes Toyota/Lexus products for the most part.

I haven't driven the V6 Accord with a 6-speed...will have to try it out. I also really like the Civic Si Sedan. It's an incredibly balanced car and some say that it's the closest thing to an E30 M3!

I would never spend money on a brand new exotic or luxury car. I've always believed in letting someone else take the initial depreciation hit. These cars take some massive hits in the beginning. For example, the AMG SL65 Black series is around $300K brand new but with around 4K miles the price drops to $260! It's the same story with the CLK63 Black series, although the CLK63 is a much nicer car. The GT3 and GT3 RS actually hold their value quite well.

For your next sports car, would you consider something like a Lotus Exige or is that too hardcore?

[kahmed79]

gr8 sir.. u seems like pakistani jeremy clarkson

LOL! I've heard that before :P.

[VCheng]

You should be able to find a decent NSX but it will take some time. One test drive is all that will take to convert you :).

The term "appliance" is cliched, no doubt, but one that aptly describes Toyota/Lexus products for the most part.

I haven't driven the V6 Accord with a 6-speed...will have to try it out. I also really like the Civic Si Sedan. It's an incredibly balanced car and some say that it's the closest thing to an E30 M3!

I would never spend money on a brand new exotic or luxury car. I've always believed in letting someone else take the initial depreciation hit. These cars take some massive hits in the beginning. For example, the AMG SL65 Black series is around $300K brand new but with around 4K miles the price drops to $260! It's the same story with the CLK63 Black series, although the CLK63 is a much nicer car. The GT3 and GT3 RS actually hold their value quite well.

For your next sports car, would you consider something like a Lotus Exige or is that too hardcore?

You simply must drive a V-6 stick shift Honda, preferably the Accord Coupe.

I hear you about the massive depreciation and how to take advantage if one can.

I do have my eye on the Evora.

[kahmed79]

You simply must drive a V-6 stick shift Honda, preferably the Accord Coupe.

I hear you about the massive depreciation and how to take advantage if one can.

I do have my eye on the Evora.

Evora...yeah now you're talking :). It reminds me so much of the NSX, not just in the layout but even the way it drives. It's too bad that the Evora shifter will never be as sweet as the one in the NSX. How about a used Aston V8 Vantage? It's about the same price as a new Evora.

[iLLDuDe786]

how many miles do you get to test drive these cars for?

[VCheng]

Evora...yeah now you're talking :). It reminds me so much of the NSX, not just in the layout but even the way it drives. It's too bad that the Evora shifter will never be as sweet as the one in the NSX. How about a used Aston V8 Vantage? It's about the same price as a new Evora.

Hehehehehehe....I think I know your car buttons now!

There is somethihg about the feel of a Lotus that is absolutely intoxicating, and that will surely make up for a shifter not quite up to snuff. Nobody does the snick-snick from gear to gear quite like Honda, but the Toyota drivetrain in the Evora should be durable and reliable if nothing else.

Used British supercars are another possibility although these tend to be GTs rather than tight sportscars like the NSX or the Lotus. I guess I am gun shy about British engineering given what I know about Jaguar and Range Rover.

However, if you allow me to pick your brains for your opinions about what you now know about my driving considerations and ownership philosophy in the posts above, I would be willing to get one if you think you know of a good used one.

I am enjoying these post, but man we need to get together for a drink or two or three....

[dia379]

Someone i know had this car for a month then sold it, didn't like it.

[VCheng]

Someone i know had this car for a month then sold it, didn't like it.

Which car do you mean?

[kahmed79]

Hehehehehehe....I think I know your car buttons now!

There is somethihg about the feel of a Lotus that is absolutely intoxicating, and that will surely make up for a shifter not quite up to snuff. Nobody does the snick-snick from gear to gear quite like Honda, but the Toyota drivetrain in the Evora should be durable and reliable if nothing else.

Used British supercars are another possibility although these tend to be GTs rather than tight sportscars like the NSX or the Lotus. I guess I am gun shy about British engineering given what I know about Jaguar and Range Rover.

However, if you allow me to pick your brains for your opinions about what you now know about my driving considerations and ownership philosophy in the posts above, I would be willing to get one if you think you know of a good used one.

I am enjoying these post, but man we need to get together for a drink or two or three....

Yeah you sure do know my taste in cars.

You're absolutely right about the shifter not taking much joy out of driving a Lotus. And Honda does make the best shifters in the world. Oh and the Toyota V6 in the Evora has got some personality...it has completely lost the "appliance" image :P. But then again, we should be thanking Yamaha for that motor, not Toyota.

I understand your concerns about Jags and Range Rovers but the Aston seems to be reliable from what i've read and heard. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a good candidate. Just let me know your price range and whether you want the earlier 4.3 liter or later 4.7 liter cars. As far as your philosophy on being able to work on cars yourself i'm not quite sure if this will be possible. However, I can tell you that quite a few replacement parts can be found at Mazda, Volvo, or Ford dealers.

Yeah it would be nice to get together some time :). There are some good dealers around here where you could find something interesting.

[hash4u]

very nice review with pictures like always
and interesting conversation between K & V

[dia379]

Which car do you mean?

Bentley Continental Supersports.

[VCheng]

Yeah you sure do know my taste in cars.

You're absolutely right about the shifter not taking much joy out of driving a Lotus. And Honda does make the best shifters in the world. Oh and the Toyota V6 in the Evora has got some personality...it has completely lost the "appliance" image :P. But then again, we should be thanking Yamaha for that motor, not Toyota.

I understand your concerns about Jags and Range Rovers but the Aston seems to be reliable from what i've read and heard. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a good candidate. Just let me know your price range and whether you want the earlier 4.3 liter or later 4.7 liter cars. As far as your philosophy on being able to work on cars yourself i'm not quite sure if this will be possible. However, I can tell you that quite a few replacement parts can be found at Mazda, Volvo, or Ford dealers.

Yeah it would be nice to get together some time :). There are some good dealers around here where you could find something interesting.

Hey, Yamaha does only the heads. I gotta go now, but we will surely set something up.

Bentley Continental Supersports.

And why exactly did he not like it? It would interesting to know that, especially in this thread. I'm all ears.

[kahmed79]

very nice review with pictures like always
and interesting conversation between K & V

Thanks Hash!

[kahmed79]

Hey, Yamaha does only the heads. I gotta go now, but we will surely set something up.

That's true...but Yamaha made the entire LFA engine didn't they? They also did the Volvo V8 which Noble uses in the new M500 with twin-turbo's.

[dia379]

=VCheng;2277877

And why exactly did he not like it? It would interesting to know that, especially in this thread. I'm all ears.

I didn't take any details from him, while chatting on the phone he told me he didn't like it so sold it. It can be the power or the shape, dont know. Everyone has a different taste, some like Catalina some like Bonneville:)

[VCheng]

I didn't take any details from him, while chatting on the phone he told me he didn't like it so sold it. It can be the power or the shape, dont know. Everyone has a different taste, some like Catalina some like Bonneville:)

LOL. That's so true!