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Bentley Supersports, the Congress-friendly supercar

Posted by Clifford Atiyeh  February 25, 2009 11:11 AM
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Bentley has undone the Photoshop shadows on the ethanol-powered Continental shown last month, and - ta-da! - there's the usual and beautiful wheel, interior, and rear fascia upgrades. We predicted 650 horsepower and a 205-mile-per-hour top speed for the marque's fastest production car (it's actually 621 horsepower and 204 miles per hour).

Some 243 pounds have been cut, which means the Continental GT only weighs 5,000 pounds (about the same as a Hummer H3T or Lexus LS600hL). In place of the rear seat is a crossbar for added rigidity, and the interior also gets a mash of bright red leather, black Alcantara trim, and deeply-bolstered bucket seats.

The Supersports is part of Bentley's plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 15 percent across its entire lineup by 2012, the magic year when General Motors is profitable and the nation's fuel economy is so improved that daisies grow out of tailpipes. And like every cradle-to-grave estimate on alternative fuel, Bentley's claim that the Supersports cuts C02 emissions by 70 percent over the regular Continental is about as accurate as Timothy Geithner's tax returns.

But if Bentley must cite environmental numbers to keep Congress from outlawing their cars, we'll publish them no matter what. Zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds, however, is nothing but the whole truth.

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Clifford Atiyeh is an automotive writer and car enthusiast . He has spent his entire life driving cars he doesn't own.
In the garage: 1995 21-speed Iron Horse, 2002 Jeep Wrangler X (by association)
Bill Griffith is a veteran Boston Globe reporter, having reviewed cars for more than 10 years and serving as assistant sports editor for 25 years. He was also the paper's sports media columnist.
In the garage: 2006 Subaru Baja
AAA's Car Doctor, John Paul John Paul is public affairs manager for AAA Southern New England, a certified mechanic, and a Globe columnist. He hosts a weekly radio show on WROL.
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Craig Fitzgerald has been writing about cars, motorcycles, and the automotive industry since 1999. He is the former editor of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car.
In the garage: 1968 Buick Riviera, 1996 Buick Roadmaster, 1974 Honda CB450
Keith Griffin is president of the New England Motor Press Association and edits the used car section on About.com. He also writes for the Hartford Business Journal and various weekly newspapers in Connecticut.
In the garage: Mazda 5, Dodge Neon
George Kennedy is a senior writer for WheelsTV in Acton, which produces video reviews for Yahoo, MSN, and other auto websites.
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