Exclusive Look: Inside Bentley’s Thrilling “Supersports: FULL SEND” Production
Crewe, England – April 2, 2026 – The high-octane excitement of Bentley’s cinematic spectacle, Supersports: FULL SEND, is finally giving fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how this ambitious production was brought to life. Featuring legendary freestyle motocross star Travis Pastrana at the iconic Bentley campus in Crewe, the film represents a significant evolution in Bentley’s marketing narrative, merging extreme performance with artistic craftsmanship.
This behind-the-scenes documentary, released today, pulls back the curtain on a three-day shoot that involved a massive crew of over 100 individuals. The production was one of the most complex the company has ever undertaken, primarily because it required the complete closure and lock-off of the historic Crewe site—a first for Bentley—to facilitate the dynamic driving sequences and controlled speeds reaching up to 120 mph.
From Concept to Creation: The Genesis of Pymkhana
The inspiration for Supersports: FULL SEND struck in April 2025, catalyzed by the introduction of the new Supersports model. Bentley recognized this vehicle as the perfect opportunity to create a completely new type of automotive film that would break from their traditional marketing mould. The project, internally codenamed “Pymkhana” (a clever blend of the location, Pyms Lane, and the motorsport discipline of gymkhana), began with a series of conversations involving key internal departments at Bentley.
“We initially thought this might be too ambitious,” admits Alistair Corner, Bentley’s Engineering Manager. “But as we dove deeper into the technical possibilities, we realized we could actually do this. The concept was deemed feasible, provided we allocated the necessary resources and engineering effort.”
Following the approval from Bentley’s Board of Management, the company’s R&D department began the meticulous process of modifying a development Supersports model to be as extreme as possible. This preparation was crucial for handling the rigors of the filming. The electronic limited-slip differential was recalibrated to engage faster, and stability control was permanently disabled. Custom software was written to allow both static and rolling burnouts, pushing the vehicle to its absolute limits.
The true engineering marvel of the project, however, was the design and installation of a working hydraulic handbrake. Integrated seamlessly with the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, this system allowed the car to navigate the tight corners of the factory grounds sideways, rather than relying solely on power-oversteer.
Corner elaborates on this critical modification: “The mission for our ‘Pymkhana’ car was to turn the already-capable Supersports up to 11. We removed all safety features that are mandatory for the production version and added functionality that would allow the car to dance around the narrow roads of our factory. The engineering team that developed the car was outstanding. They were learning on the fly and coming up with creative solutions to transform the car into a monster. Crucially, what that special car can now do is an extension of the inherent ability within the Supersports. The Pymkhana car is a Supersports without limits, demonstrating what our chassis and powertrain can do when taken to the extreme.”
The Engineering Transformation: Crafting the “Pymkhana” Car
The engineering work involved in preparing the Supersports for Supersports: FULL SEND was an intricate blend of radical modification and preserving the car’s underlying DNA. Alistair Corner and his team were tasked with a seemingly contradictory objective: creating a car capable of extreme performance while remaining recognizably a Bentley.
“From a production standpoint, we are obligated to implement all the latest safety features—electronic stability control, stability systems, ABS, and so on,” Corner explains. “However, to create a film like ‘Pymkhana,’ we need to disable these systems entirely to allow for drift, oversteer, and high-speed spins. We essentially created a ‘ghost’ of the production car, a version where we could control every aspect of its dynamic behavior.”
The team’s first engineering challenge was modifying the steering rack and control systems. The standard Bentley steering is engineered for precision and smooth, neutral stability. For high-speed drifting, however, engineers needed to alter the car’s behavior to rotate rapidly without unsettling the chassis.
“We had to retune the steering ratio significantly,” Corner notes. “The standard steering feels stable and refined. To get the car to spin, we had to make it highly responsive—almost twitchy by production standards. This allowed the driver to initiate a slide with small corrections rather than massive inputs.”
The engine remained largely stock, ensuring reliability throughout the high-stress filming environment. However, the transmission received extensive modification. The factory transmission is designed to provide exceptionally smooth gear changes under normal driving conditions. For this film, the gearbox logic was rewritten to allow for aggressive downshifts and immediate power response.
The Hydraulic Handbrake: A Masterstroke of Engineering
Perhaps the most critical innovation was the installation of a working hydraulic handbrake. In modern road cars, the handbrake is purely a parking brake, electronically controlled and not intended for dynamic use. Bentley’s engineers had to engineer an entirely new system that would work in harmony with the transmission.
“We integrated a hydraulic handbrake into the eight-speed transmission,” Corner says. “This allows the driver to throw the rear end out under braking. You pull the lever, it kills the rear diff lock, engages the handbrake, and the car slides. Releasing it allows the car to lock back up and accelerates out of the corner.”
This system was not just a simple modification; it required complex software integration to ensure that when the driver released the handbrake, the electronic stability control did not immediately interfere, thus allowing the driver to maintain control of the slide.
Preparing the Fleet: Redundancy and Visual Aesthetics
To ensure the filming could proceed without interruption, Bentley prepared two identical Supersports models. The second car served as a backup, ready to take over if the primary vehicle sustained any damage.
“We built two cars because we were filming in a working factory environment,” Corner recounts. “We didn’t want to risk a three-month project being delayed by one incident. Thankfully, the star car was incredibly robust, and the backup car wasn’t needed for its intended purpose, but it was essential to have it ready.”
The visual aspect of the cars was also critical. Both the hero car and the backup car were wrapped in a bespoke, gymkhana-inspired design created by graphic artist Deathspray. The design featured bold patterns and vibrant colors that were meant to pop against the backdrop of the Crewe factory. Custom-painted 22-inch wheels completed the look, adding to the aggressive, track-ready aesthetic of the Supersports: FULL SEND vehicle.
Beneath the star car, a pair of titanium skid blocks were mounted. These served a dual purpose: they protected the underside of the car during extreme low-speed maneuvers and generated the impressive shower of sparks seen during the film’s culmination. This detail was vital for the visual impact of the film, adding a dramatic, dramatic flair to the Supersports as it danced around the factory.
From Page to Screen: Casting Travis Pastrana
Bringing Travis Pastrana onto the Supersports: FULL SEND project was a significant strategic move for Bentley. Pastrana is one of the most recognizable figures in extreme sports, and his involvement immediately lent credibility and excitement to the film. His reputation as a professional driver—capable of performing at the highest level with precision and control—made him the ideal choice to drive the Supersports through the tight confines of the factory.
“Travis Pastrana agreed to join the project as the driver,” Corner recalls. “He’s a professional who understands how to perform under pressure. We set the filming dates for September 26-28, 2025, giving us a three-month window to prepare the film and ensure the engineering was ready.”
Before filming began, each ‘scene’ was meticulously planned and choreographed. This was not a free-form shoot; every movement, every angle, and every maneuver was pre-determined to minimize risk to the car, the driver, and the factory.
Managing Risk in a Working Factory Environment
The Crewe factory, Bentley’s birthplace, is a working manufacturing facility. This environment presents a multitude of potential risks that had to be managed during production. The factory grounds house gas mains, fibre optic cables, water pipes, and critical electrical infrastructure—all of which were dangerously close to some of the dynamic driving locations.
“We had to be incredibly careful about where we were filming,” Corner explains. “Our priority was safety. We had to make sure we didn’t damage any infrastructure or endanger any workers. The support teams worked tirelessly to ensure that each location around the factory was completely closed-off for filming.”
Scenes involving other vehicles—such as the car park chase sequence with the Pikes Peak Bentleys or the Brooklands burnout sequence—required additional coordination. These moments involved precision drivers who worked alongside Travis to ensure synchronicity and avoid any collisions.
The Production Team: A Symphony of Talent
The filming itself was a massive undertaking, involving a squad of over 100 people. This number included the core production crew, who were responsible for the actual filming, as well as supporting teams from across Bentley who assisted with logistics, coordination, and safety.
The main filming crew comprised around 25 people. This included two main camera operators, who captured the high-speed action from multiple angles, and two drone operators, who provided aerial shots of the Supersports
