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Thread: Bentley Continental SuperSports - ludicrously overweight?

  1. #1
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    Bentley Continental SuperSports - ludicrously overweight?

    So, the Contintental SuperSports weighs just over 2200kg. How? How have they done this? The DBS, with its two extra seats, weighs more than 500kg less. They both have V12 engines, they're both quite big and coupes, and while I'll admit that the Bentley is probably bigger, with a bigger engine, it really is grossly overweight. And the Veyron, which is about 350kg less, has an 8 litre engine with a heap of turbos hanging of itt.
    What's more, the Bentley has carbon fibre in the interior. How do you work up the nerve to put visible carbon fibre in a car that weighs so, so much? It's a mockery. The hugely lighter DBS doesn't have it!
    Has anyone else realized this? What could they possibly have done to add so much weight?
    All about the t-tops

  2. #2
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    They started with a huge, steel car and didn't do anything to lighten it. Carbon fiber trim does nothing for weight, it's more about style.
    Big cities suck

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  3. #3
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    i don't really understand the target market for this car to be honest. if it exists.
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

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    Quote Originally Posted by wwgkd View Post
    They started with a huge, steel car and didn't do anything to lighten it. Carbon fiber trim does nothing for weight, it's more about style.
    Yes but it hints at a weight saving methodology, one that the team behind the car obviously never even considered. In fact, the trim was probably the only thought they gave to saving weight.

    I'd say the market is mostly current Bentley owners, who like Bentley, but want more of a sports car. Rather than buying a good sports car, now there's a Bentley alternative for them to sink their teeth into.
    All about the t-tops

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    People who thought the Bently GT was cool and wanted a racing version. You know they're out there. One will probably even take this through the mcdonalds drive through.
    Big cities suck

    "Not putting miles on your Ferrari is like not having sex with your girlfriend so she'll be more desirable to her next boyfriend." -Napolis

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    Well, it saves weight over the standard behemoth. Re-engineering the car would cost too much. Maybe in a model refresh/replacement there'll be more lightness engineered into it.
    Life's too short to drive bad cars.

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    Quote Originally Posted by pimento View Post
    Well, it saves weight over the standard behemoth. Re-engineering the car would cost too much. Maybe in a model refresh/replacement there'll be more lightness engineered into it.
    I'm hoping for an aluminum chasis. At that price there's no reason not to.
    Big cities suck

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    So is the weight really due to the material the car is made in, primarily? It's not something that shows on the standard cars, everyone accepts that luxury cars are supposed to be heavy. But this model has really highlighted it. How do they get away with charging such substantial amounts for a car made out of primitive materials?
    Quote Originally Posted by wwgkd View Post
    I'm hoping for an aluminum chasis. At that price there's no reason not to.
    Exactly.
    All about the t-tops

  9. #9
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    Given it's a storied British marque, I'd be hoping for an aluminium chassis.

    /troll
    Life's too short to drive bad cars.

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    Aluminium would be easy. Just make it an Audi instead of a Volkswagen.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer View Post
    Aluminium would be easy. Just make it an Audi instead of a Volkswagen.
    Definitely not easier, and not necessarily lighter as well.
    It's a Bentley right, who ever cared about weight?
    It's the only thing it has about Bentley's tradition .
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    Well, it certainly doesn't help that it's 4WD, and the fact that it's probably has a more lavish interior.

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    It still managed to tie the lightweight Boxster Spyder on the TG track...

    The car is kinda pointless to be quite frank, but I'd take it over the standard Conti any day
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  14. #14
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    i suppose it might appeal to the kind of people who buy continental GT's.. trying to one up their fellow bentley owners..
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

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    For what it is, the Bentley is exactly what it should be. With the W12 pushed up to 463kW, the wider track, new dampers, suspension, massive carbon-ceramic brakes and the replacement of the back seats with a carbon strut brace, the Bentley has lost 110kg. However they have kept it stocked with enough features to apeal to the market they were after, current Bentley owners or those after a sportier GT car.
    To build it in aluminium would have required a complete redesign of the chassis due to the different properties of the two metals.

    The ultimate limit is the price. How much would people be willing to pay for a heavily tweaked Conti GT Speed with manufacturer warranty?
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