Today in Cars: Pure Bentley Energy, a Gentlemanly Prelude, and Genesis Flirts with Coach Doors

I love the days when the car world stops mumbling and speaks plainly. The Bentley Continental GT Supersports is back on the menu—rear-drive, 657 horsepower, and absolutely not here to hold your hand. Meanwhile, Honda’s Prelude returns with a quieter sort of charm, Ford hints at the next Lightning, and Genesis is planning coach doors like it’s prepping you for a grand entrance at a black-tie gala. Toss in a seatless Cupra, a Beetle gone feral, and a pragmatic Vauxhall reset, and you’ve got a proper news buffet.

Bentley Continental GT Supersports: Rear-Drive, 657 HP, and a Wink to the Brave

I’ve spent enough time in Continental GTs to know the brief: speed that shrugs off distance, ride quality like a cashmere throw, and steering that’s good—but you’re still aware you’re piloting a very posh missile. The new Bentley Continental GT Supersports flips that script. Rear-wheel drive only. A leaner, meaner setup. A quoted 657 hp and far fewer apologies. The front axle goes off the payroll, and the whole car suddenly feels like it wants you to get involved.

• Rear-wheel drive for cleaner steering and proper throttle adjustability.
• 657 hp (quoted) with a lighter ethos—less fluff, more feedback.
• More aggressive aero and braking; expect the firmest chassis tune of the family.
• Cabin still Bentley-luxe, but trimmed for purpose—more hide and hardware, fewer frills.

Bentley Continental GT Supersports: What Changes on the Road

Here’s what I noticed the first time I hustled a rear-drive grand tourer on a battered B-road: the front end breathes. It loads up, talks to you, and lets you trim your line with the gentlest brush of throttle. That’s the promise here. The Bentley Continental GT Supersports feels like the first modern Conti designed to reward a driver who leans forward in the seat. Brake with intent, turn once, balance it mid-corner—then let 657 horses do the natural thing. It’s not marketing; it’s physics with expensive tailoring.

Bentley Continental GT Supersports vs. Continental GT (Quick Take)

Bentley Continental GT Supersports vs. Rivals

Prediction? The Bentley Continental GT Supersports becomes the one enthusiasts whisper about after track days, while the standard GT remains your go-to for a 700-mile run to the Alps without needing a massage therapist at the other end.

2026 Honda Prelude: The Slow Dance, Not the Mosh Pit

The Prelude is back, but not as a hero car with fireworks stuffed under its hood. Early drives suggest a hybrid two-door tuned for balance. Think fluent steering, near-perfect pedal tuning, and the sort of calm, measured chassis that rewards clean inputs. When I tried Honda’s latest hybrid mapping over broken suburban asphalt, I noticed the same thing everyone else did: linear response minus the droning. If that carries over, your sunrise coffee run just found its companion.

• Hybrid powertrain with everyday refinement, weekend-road charm.
• Chassis feels accurate and unflustered—less track toy, more GT coupe.
• Ergonomics are classic Honda: clear, simple, everything where your hands expect it.
• Numbers will matter, sure—but the vibe will sell it.

EV & Truck Beat: F-150 Lightning, the Sequel

Ford’s clearly not done with the Lightning story. Good. Owners I’ve chatted with love the torque hit and the quiet confidence of home-backup power, even if public fast-charging sometimes feels like a coin toss. A new chapter gives Ford room to fix the big three: weight, range-per-dollar, and charging curve. Nail those and the next one becomes less “cool tech” and more “tool you count on.”

Luxury Chess: Genesis Tries Coach Doors, Lexus Keeps Its Lane

Genesis’ Flagship SUV Wants a Grand Entrance

Genesis is prepping a flagship SUV with coach doors—rear-hinged rears with power assist. It’s a statement, plain and simple. A brand that once competed on value now competes on ceremony. It says “occasion” every time you step out. Practical? In tight bays, less so. But nobody ever regretted a little stagecraft when the valet’s watching.

Lexus’ Upmarket Push Isn’t About Century

Lexus’ global boss says the brand’s move upmarket isn’t being led by the new Century offshoot, and that tracks with what I’ve felt lately. The latest cars prize serenity and polish while tightening the “Lexus Driving Signature.” The Century can own ultra-luxe salons; Lexus can keep sharpening its premium spear without losing its original mission: make posh cars that are effortlessly easy to live with.

Tech Watch: Porsche Hones the Hybrid Hardware

Porsche is quietly readying a smarter e-motor for its next wave of hybrids—denser, cooler, and happier to repeat hot laps without wilting. Classic Porsche move: tidy packaging, minimal inertia, razor response. Expect less heat soak, more consistency, and that uncanny feeling the car is reading your right foot in real time.

Hot Hatch & Wild Card Corner

Cupra’s Seat-Delete Street Special

Cupra has built a Leon that thinks it’s clocking in at a track day. Rear seats gone, stance cranked, and the most potent FWD Leon yet. It’s giving Renault Mégane R26.R vibes—laser-focused but still road-legal. I’d budget for a quieter tire if you commute; track rubber drones like a countertop espresso at 70 mph.

A Beetle with Ruf Energy

Someone’s engineered a Volkswagen Beetle with the posture of a Nürburgring pit boss—wide, low, intense. It starts as a joke and ends with you DMing the builder at 1 a.m. Does the world need it? No. Do I desperately want a go on a sunrise mountain pass? Obviously.

Business Beat: Vauxhall Resets, Sensibly

New boss, new focus. Vauxhall is promising a tighter product cadence, a clearer design identity, and EVs that don’t price out the people who’ve always bought Vauxhalls. In Europe’s value-conscious lanes, that’s the play: make electrification make sense without turning the cabin into a molded-plastic purgatory.

Key Highlights You Can Tell Your Mates

• Bentley Continental GT Supersports returns with rear-wheel drive and a quoted 657 hp—finally the rowdy one.
• 2026 Honda Prelude leans into hybrid smoothness and balanced handling over headline sprints.
• Ford is lining up the next F-150 Lightning; eyes on weight, range-per-dollar, and charging speed.
• Genesis is going glam with coach doors; Lexus keeps refining its core premium play.
• Porsche’s next hybrids chase smarter, cooler-running e-motors for repeatable performance.
• Cupra builds a seat-delete Leon for track nights; a wild Beetle build steals the internet’s gaze.
• Vauxhall outlines a grounded route back to relevance.

Conclusion

If today has a theme, it’s intent. The Bentley Continental GT Supersports trims the insulation and hands the reins back to the driver. Honda revives a name with finesse, not fireworks. Genesis wants your arrival to feel like an event, Lexus finds its quiet lane, and Ford, Porsche, and Vauxhall do the practical work. Less noise, more purpose—cars made by people who seem to know what they’re for. More of that, please.

FAQ

How much power does the Bentley Continental GT Supersports have?

It’s quoted at 657 hp, and notably, it sends all of that to the rear wheels.

Is the Bentley Continental GT Supersports all-wheel drive?

No. This one goes rear-drive only, which should mean clearer steering feel and more throttle adjustability.

What’s the vibe of the 2026 Honda Prelude?

Less track weapon, more balanced GT coupe. Expect fluent steering, tidy body control, and hybrid smoothness.

Is Ford canceling the F-150 Lightning?

No—signals suggest a next-gen Lightning is on the way, with focus on weight, range, and charging improvements.

Are Genesis’ coach doors practical day to day?

They’re power-assisted and wonderfully theatrical, but be mindful in tight parking spaces—the drama needs room.