But, why?
If you’re familiar with Bentley, you’re probably familiar with the Bentayga, the marque’s SUV. With divisive looks, three seating layouts and a small planet’s worth of chrome trim, the Bentayga is actually very much a typical Bentley if you overlook the bodystyle: It’s as large as a house, as heavy as a moon, and costs a queen’s ransom to own.
The former two aspects are of particular note as when something is as enormous as a Bentayga, it’s frankly unreasonable to expect it to drive with anything more than a nodding understanding of things like agility, and dynamism. A polite nod, one that accommodates those things but only just, and then plows on with the business of being stately and imposing. But that’s about to change with the imminent arrival of the Bentley Bentayga Speed, confirmed to be arriving soon.
It was design boss Stefan Sielaff who broke the news to UK publication Autocar, saying that the Bentayga Speed will feature a “big change” in the aesthetics over the standard model. However, he did say that the usual, “typical” aesthetic tweaks that Bentley applies to its Speed models will be applied to the Bentayga, so you’ll be able to spot one (and hear one) from a mile away.
More than just aesthetic tweaks though, there’s a possibility that the Bentayga’s characterful W12 engine may see upgrades as well. In doing so, we would expect to see stronger numbers from the biturbo-dozen, past the 447kW and 900Nm presently on offer. With enough of a rework, the Bentayga Speed could reclaim its title as the most powerful SUV in the world, if it can surpass the 478kW and 850Nm presented by the Lamborghini Urus (with which it shares a platform). Or, it could just use that engine, and save a bit of weight.
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