The new Bentley Bentayga Speed has been unwrapped as the brand’s quickest SUV yet, beating its predecessor to 62mph by half a second and going on to 193mph.
It swaps the previous Bentayga Speed’s 6.0-litre W12, now retired, for a twinturbocharged 4.0-litre V8 that puts out 641bhp and 627lb ft – a gain of 15bhp and a loss of only 37lb ft.
The smaller powerplant also plays a significant role in cutting the Speed’s kerb weight by 42kg to 2466kg.
Helped along by a new launch control function, the super-SUV is now capable of completing the 0-62mph dash in 3.4sec, beating the 3.9sec and 4.5sec sprint times of the old Speed and the V8-engined S.
The extra power also boosts the Bentayga’s top speed by 3mph.
In addition to its enhanced pace, the Speed gets reworked drive modes, including a Sport mode that increases the dampers’ stiffness by 15% and slackens off the stability control to “permit exhilarating drift angles”.
Meanwhile, rear-wheel steering aids manoeuvrability at lower speeds and boosts stability when pressing on.
A sports exhaust system is fitted as standard, but there is an optional Akrapovic-supplied titanium system with four tailpipes, said to unleash the “drama and potency” of the new powerplant.
The new super-Bentayga is differentiated visually from other variants by the Speed badges on its fl anks, as well as a choice of bespoke 22in or 23in wheel designs.
The larger of those two is offered as an optional extra with the addition of carbon-ceramic discs.
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Buy yourself a SQ7 and save the cash....
Sadly it's become quite an ugly and vulgar vehicle, and apart from the ornamentation (grille, lights and badging.) it's indistinguishable from any number of large heavy vans on the roads now.
A drift mode for your Bentley SUV must be a new peak for being gauche and vulgar