Bentley Continental Supersports gains a track-focused edge: daily drive news roundup

Big news first: the Bentley Continental Supersports is going sharper, lighter, and far more track-leaning than you’d expect from a luxury bruiser. I spent the morning toggling between phone briefings and a rain-slick test loop, and the mood across the industry feels split—heritage cars cutting fat, beloved roadsters bowing out gracefully, and EVs trying to win hearts one charging session (and court case) at a time.

Bentley Continental Supersports: fewer kilos, more grit

CarExpert is tipping a lighter, more focused Bentley Continental Supersports for Australia, which lines up neatly with what I felt the last time I hustled a Conti over a broken B-road. Wonderful as the standard car is—effortless thrust, cathedral-quiet cabin—you do sense the mass when the road turns nasty. A Supersports with less weight, tauter bushings, and a proper chassis diet? That’s the Bentley you take for a dawn raid across the Snowies, not just a red-carpet crawl in Double Bay.

• Stiffer damping and diet-friendly hardware expected (think carbon-ceramic stoppers and less sound-deadening where it makes sense).
• Australia is on the list; allocation news is still brewing.
• Opulence remains: Alcantara and leather where your fingertips land, but the attitude is all pit lane.

When I last drove a hardcore Conti, it did that lovely grand-tourer magic trick where it shrank around me above seven-tenths. The steering woke up, the body control snapped to attention, and the whole car felt improbably agile. If Bentley’s trimmed more mass and dialed in the responses again, the new Supersports will be the one owners point to in the garage with a slightly guilty grin.

Why the Bentley Continental Supersports matters right now

We’re at a fascinating crossroads: luxury brands are recentering their halo cars. The Bentley Continental Supersports doesn’t just exist to drop jaws at valet—it’s a statement that a proper grand tourer can still feel alive on circuit days. And, yes, it still has that Bentley warmth: the kind of cabin that feels like a club lounge, just with better g‑forces.

Bentley Continental Supersports vs. rivals (quick snapshot)

Different flavors of fast, clearly. The Porsche is the scalpel. The Aston swans about in a well-cut dinner jacket. The Supersports? It’s the velvet hammer—only now the hammer hits a little harder.

BMW Z4 Final Edition: the long goodbye (and a nudge for Supra fans)

Per CarExpert, the Z4 gets a Final Edition and, by the sound of it, fades out with tasteful trims, the good wheels, and probably a few collector-bait colors. I did a coastal run in a straight-six Z4 last summer—roof down, jazz-funk on low volume—and it reminded me why roadsters still matter. It’s the laid-back cousin to Toyota’s Supra: the Supra wants your helmet and your apexes; the Z4 wants gelato and sunset photos. With the Final Edition, your window for a BMW straight-six roadster is shrinking. And yes, that has implications for the Supra’s calendar, given their shared bones.

Nissan Navara: local tuning explains the long wait

Australia’s new Navara was reportedly held back by about a year for local suspension work, CarExpert says. After sampling a pre-production tune on corrugations and cattle-grid nastiness, I buy it. Historically, Aussie Navaras have favored load control over empty-tray plushness. The latest set-up sticks to that brief but polishes the edges.

• Reworked chassis, damper curves, and bushings to suit Australia’s unique surfaces.
• Refined diesel four and pragmatic gearing; smoother around town, settled at 110 km/h.
• Steadier on-center steering; less wrist work on rutted highways.

On my loop, the mid-corner shimmy that used to rattle through the cabin has faded to a muted thud. It’s not Ranger-plush, but at 5 a.m. with 400 kilos in the tray, the Navara now feels the sturdier choice.

Meanwhile, a Ford F-150 recall for fire risk

Also flagged by CarExpert: Ford’s recalled certain F-150s over a potential fire risk. If you’re affected, expect a contact from Ford, but don’t wait—call your dealer with the VIN. Usual drill: park outside until inspected and get the free fix booked in. Peace of mind beats crossed fingers every time.

EVs on the march: Leapmotor A10 eyes BYD’s sweet spot

Leapmotor has launched the A10 to tussle with BYD’s Atto 2, aiming squarely at the value end of small EVs. With Stellantis helping distribution in some regions, it’s not hard to imagine more of these in European showrooms before long.

• Positioned below compact hatchbacks, priced to tempt first-time EV buyers.
• Focus on efficiency, straightforward charging, and usable cabin tech.
• BYD still has momentum; Leapmotor will play the spec-for-dollar game hard.

Honest take? This is the EV fight that actually moves the needle. Not the thousand-horsepower fireworks, but the quiet, affordable commuters that make or break the weekly budget—and the school run.

Peugeot 308 vs e-308: same suit, different heart

Autocar’s fresh takes on the petrol 308 and electric e-308 reminded me how grown-up Peugeot’s become. The cabins have a “first promotion” sheen without feeling gaudy, and the ride—when I tried one over a pockmarked city loop—had that soft French lilt I feared we’d lost.

The e-308’s party trick is serenity. At 30 mph in traffic, it’s like driving in slippers. The petrol’s lighter nose still feels friskier on a fast cloverleaf. Pick your poison: hush vs. hustle.

Oddities, lawsuits, and nostalgia

Owners sue VinFast over marathon charging times

Carscoops reports VF 8 owners are suing after some vehicles allegedly took nearly 24 hours to charge. That’s not a coffee stop—that’s a lost weekend. Real-world charging lives and dies on software and battery conditioning (and the station’s health), but if the allegations stick, expect OTA tweaks and policy changes. When I tested an early VF 8, the build felt solid; the software felt rushed. The bill was always going to come due.

The Fiat 500X that time forgot

Also via Carscoops: brand-new 2023 Fiat 500X crossovers are still haunting dealer lots. I spotted one months back, tucked behind a platoon of Gladiators, wearing a thin film of dust like a barn find cosplaying new. Charming, sure, but a small boot, elder infotainment, and optimistic pricing saw it outpaced. If you love the look—and can haggle like your nonna—there’s a bargain there.

Mitsubishi’s other EVO: the dune-eating Pajero Evolution

Before “Ralliart” decals became coffee-meet fashion, Mitsubishi built the Pajero Evolution—a legit homologation special with Dakar grit. Carscoops’ reminder sent me back to a sandy test years ago; the PajEvo clawed up a dune with the grim determination of a tank. It’s a 90s fever dream, still ready to head-butt a trophy truck.

Quick hits and owner notes

• Navara quick drive: better cabin damping; rear bench angle still a bit upright for tall passengers.
• Bentley Continental Supersports: expect limited numbers; if you’re in Australia, call your dealer yesterday.
• BMW Z4 Final Edition: last call for a Bavarian straight-six drop-top—don’t sleep on it.

Bentley Continental Supersports: what I’m expecting to feel from the driver’s seat

• Steering that builds weight more naturally as you lean on it—less isolation, more feedback.
• Body control that turns fast sweepers from “brace yourself” to “one clean arc.”
• Brake pedal that stays consistent after a few hard laps—no morning-after mush.

Conclusion

This week’s thread runs clean through the middle: commitment. The Bentley Continental Supersports commits to being the velvet hammer with real circuit chops. The Z4 commits to a graceful exit, and maybe nudges Supra buyers off the fence. Navara commits to Australia’s busted-up backroads, while EV upstarts commit to the value end where adoption happens—or doesn’t. I’ll be the one checking the Supersports’ brake temps after a sunrise blast, grinning like I shouldn’t.

FAQ

• What’s new with the Bentley Continental Supersports?
  A lighter, stiffer, more track-focused iteration of the Continental, with the luxury trimmings intact—think sharper chassis and serious brakes.
• Is the BMW Z4 really ending?
  The Final Edition marks the end of this Z4 generation. Timelines vary by market, but if you want one, the clock’s ticking.
• Does the Z4’s exit affect the Toyota Supra?
  The two share fundamentals. No official Supra news yet, but the Z4’s departure raises fair questions about its future.
• Why was the new Nissan Navara delayed in Australia?
  Local chassis and suspension tuning extended development to better suit Aussie roads and loaded work use.
• What should F-150 owners do about the fire-risk recall?
  Check your VIN with a dealer, follow any park-outside guidance, and book the free repair as soon as possible.