Bentley touts the 2019 Bentayga Speed as the fastest production SUV ever to grace planet Earth with its presence. However, the claim is actually a little white lie.
The performance Bentayga’s 190 mph top speed technically ties it with the Lamborghini Urus, which also uses the MLBevo platform and is slightly faster to 60 mph. Of course, there are many things in the Bentley you won’t find in the Lambo. The British SUV benefits from an almost grotesque amount of luxury and an available 6.0-liter W12 rocking 626 bhp with 664 lb-ft of torque. Meanwhile, the Urus has to make due with its little 4.0-liter V8 and superior acceleration.
Alright, so we’re giving Bentley a hard time for making a pretty bold claim. But you can’t say you’re the fastest when it’s not demonstrably true and not expect some good-natured ribbing.
By and large, the Bentley’s SUV remains an exceptional vehicle, and the addition of a Speed variant only makes it better. The Bentayga Speed adds 26 ponies to the standard Bentayga’s W12, in addition to their swifter maximum gallop of 190 mph. But buyers will also receive a more aggressive exhaust note during start-up and downshifts, a firmer suspension tune, and a remapped Sport mode with more assertive throttle and transmission responses. Sadly, Bentley’s gigantic 17.3-inch ceramic brakes, which are shared with the Urus, remain optional.
On the outside, the upgraded Bentayga receives unique 22-inch wheels (in multiple finishes), a darker grille, tinted headlamps, and a rear spoiler that feels unnecessary but was likely a mandatory addition for improving the top speed. There is also the obligatory performance badging that lets the world know this is a model they should covet.
Inside, the Speed receives diamond-quilted seating and contrasting leather just about everywhere. However, since this is the premiere performance trim, some materials have been swapped out for a racier experience. Alcantara on the steering wheel and pieces of carbon fiber (in lieu of wood) help to hit this point home. Bentley says the tiller can be converted back to soft leather at no additional cost. That’s actually pretty much the case across the board, though. Bentley truly lets owners go hog wild on cabin customization.
While the automaker suggests a 3.9-second rush to 62 mph (100 kph), we’d expect it to be slightly faster, as the standard W12 Bentayga routinely outperforms manufacturer-claimed acceleration times. Either way, it’s not bad for a car weighing 5,340 pounds. Just be sure to option those very expensive brakes to help bring its monumental mass to a halt.
The 2019 Bentayga Speed makes its debut in March at the Geneva Auto Show. While Bentley has yet to announce all details and pricing, we’d be shocked if it started below $250,000.
[Images: Bentley]
How is it compared to the Jeep Trackhawk?
On the social prestige scale (which is what this is all about) probably 200% better.
trackhawk- C&D test results:
00-60 3.5; 1/4mi 12.0 115mph; top speed (manufacturer claim) 180. *so basically a pretty good race between the 3 of them.
Social prestige is for the weak.
Social prestige makes a lot more sense when the object of it isn’t blatantly tacky.
*I* agree with you; I’ve always thought tacky was kind of a West Egg thing.
Thousands of Cadillac customers, however, do not share this view. ;)
Trackhawks only trap @ 115mph? Color me a little surprised. I know they are heavy, but stock automatic Camaros and Mustangs can hit ~118.
or for those that can afford it, heh?
It still looks like a giant MINI. Although I guess the Cullinan and Urus aren’t much better aesthetically.
You can have all the convertibles you want, (overrated if you ask me) as long as it’s a Wrangler, Mustang, Corvette, SL, exotic, etc, as it should be.
We got an assful of convertible cheap everyday cars, everything from GEOs, Rabbits to Sebrings, so everyone’s owned one or experienced their wind noise, water leaks, yellow back-windows, duct tape fixes, and or break-ins, but all had nosediving resale. For what?
I want to meet the person who wakes up in the morning and says “I need to have the SUV with the highest top speed”
Were you not around when the first Cayenne debuted?
There are even those who like to brag about how their SUV is the fastestest SUV around Burgerking, these days.
Should make an excellent track car for the driver that likes to take along the kids and dogs when trying for a new track record.
Hmmmmmm how easy will it be to clean dog puke out of that interior?
Never-mind, Bentley owners have someone to do that for them.
That’s why all those rich people want open borders, because Americans just won’t clean puke out of a Bentley. Plus they don’t need to pay illegals minimum wage, SS contributions, or Obamacare premiums so more money leftover for new tires and pads on the Bentley.
another piece of shameless luxury for the 1%
Their dogs are all genetically engineered to not barf.
Am I the only one who thinks the front ends on Bentleys are hideous these days?
I want to know what option they didn’t spring for to have those round, brown blanks next to the headlights.
Those are the covers for the headlight washers. See video below:
https://bit.ly/2iEMzUL
I, too, think it looks tacky, and I’m generally a fan of Bentley.
You are not alone.
You just aren’t rich enough to have good taste in automotive styling.
(Snicker)
Yeah, there’s a ton of things money can buy you, but good taste isn’t always one of them.
Put some classic Firestone tires on that puppy and fill them up barely just enough. Yeehaw!!
air is too cheap though, gotta use nitrogen!
All that power, all that speed and you won’t even get to use it on a public road, or even on a racetrack.
I understand that this is excess luxury, and buyers in this segment probably care more about bragging rights than any other niche, but this is in all honesty a completely pointless and hideously ugly vehicle.
If you park it on Rodeo Drive, touristing ghettoites reared on a steady diet of Kardashians, can’t stay away from taking selfies of themselves in front of it. Which makes some people feel special.
trackhawk, urus, bentley would have been great fodder for classic top gear. I’m not sure the new top gear crew or the grand tour could do that trio justice.
All these super fast “suv”s are stupid in a way but I have a closet fetish for a Durango SRT- i’d just have to tint the windows super dark.
The SRT sounds cool. The W12, muffled by turbos, sounds as dull as Mazda’s latest turbo4 for the CX-9.
It looks like an Audi Q7 with a thyroid problem.
Reminds me of a billionaire I saw on TV who was miserable because his $100M super yacht was not as fast as his friend’s $200M super yacht.
AND the categorization of vehicles is starting to annoy me. This thing could also be the world’s fastest brown station wagon.
P.S. Arguments that the speed is irrelevant on public roads probably don’t count if you are super rich.
Speed is not irrelevant on Arab roads. And for some Russians some of the time.
Stupid name, cross-eyed face, and who cares that it can achieve 190 mph?
Perhaps it’s an SV but at $250k+, it will never be an SUV.
Let’s be honest. This is not a good looking vehicle.