2025 Bentley Bentayga Speed First Drive: Quicker, Faster, Lighter and More Fun

• A new twin-turbo V8 makes 641 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque.
• Optional 17.3-inch carbon-ceramic brakes provide incredible stopping power.
• The Bentayga Speed even has launch control.

Chief among them are larger turbochargers, a lower compression ratio to manage the extra boost, higher-flowing fuel injectors and more finite boost control to help minimize turbo lag. The result of these changes, and a few others, is a power output of 641 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. This represents a gain of 99 hp and 59 lb-ft over the Bentayga S, and crucially, because I know some of you are still hung up over the loss of the W12, an increase of 15 hp over that monstrous engine. Of course, the larger W12 made 67 lb-ft of extra torque, but the new Bentayga Speed outruns the old model to 60 mph (3.4 seconds vs 3.9 seconds) and boasts a higher top speed (193 mph vs. 190 mph). Speed, indeed. 

Other hardware tweaks address the suspension, which uses retuned dampers that are 15% stiffer than the ones in the Bentayga V8. There's also four-wheel steering, new shift strategies for the transmission, and a Dynamic mode for the stability control system. Selecting that last upgrade requires the purchase of positively huge carbon-ceramic brakes and delivers launch control and a torque-vectoring system that utilizes the Bentayga's brakes to help the big Bentley stay poised in a corner. That will come in handy when you'd like to remind your good friend, who's struggling to keep up with you in his Cullinan, that he bought the wrong SUV. Speaking of those brakes, at 17.3 inches(!), Bentley says these are the largest brakes fitted to a production car ever. Their ridiculously big 10-piston calipers further drive that point home.

What else is new?

As you'd expect, the Bentayga Speed also gets an assortment of exterior and interior changes to differentiate it from other Bentayga models. Some of the changes, like the black roof, massive 23-inch wheels, rocker panel pinstripes (available in six colors) and carbon-fiber trim, are optional, while dark chrome brightwork, gray taillights and dark-tinted headlight housings are standard.

Inside, the Speed continues with dark chrome brightwork applied to the badges, air vents, and their very traditional organ stop-style air flow controls. There's also Speed embroidery on the seats, special graphics on the instrument panel, and unique diamond stitching on the seats. Of course, like any Bentley, there are myriad color and material options available for maximum personalization, which, at this price, is the name of the game. It also goes without saying that the inside of the Bentayga, or any Bentley for that matter, is arguably the best-smelling interior in the automotive world.

Covering ground

No Bentayga is really lacking for power, but the way the Speed delivers its extra oomph makes it feel even more effortless than ever. In the wide open country of middle Montana, the Speed is simply in its element. Well, one of them anyway. Out here, speeds are best defined by what is safe and prudent. It's not uncommon to be overtaken by farm trucks cruising in the triple digits. So when you need to overtake someone on a two-lane road, deep pockets of power are greatly appreciated. Even with a subtle squeeze of the throttle, the Bentayga Speed gathers speed in such a way that I needed to keep my eye on the speedometer to keep from straying north of 120 mph. 

But that acceleration doesn't demand the Speed drop a few gears to summon all that power. In its adaptive B (for Bentley) drive mode, the transmission calibration is absolutely spot-on for the character of the car. Thanks to the revised throttle mapping and those larger turbos, power is quick to come on, even in higher gears. And that surge of power keeps my foot from getting restless when I'm looking to build a little speed. In fact, I have to actually force myself to mat the throttle just to see how the Bentayga handles aggressive downshifts. It's something you don't need to do in the Bentayga Speed, and it gives it a much more refined character than the loud exhaust and sporty styling would lead you to believe. 

That sporty exhaust is a must-have. The Akrapovič exhaust is optional, and it's worth the coin. There's a bit more bark to these pipes, as well as handsome quad tips with subtle branding, and their titanium construction is 27.6 pounds lighter than the standard system. I know the Bentayga Speed is already close to 5,500 pounds, but every little bit helps. Best of all, and I cannot state this enough, the Speed uses no artificial or augmented sound to convey performance. What you hear is the sound of real power; no synth nonsense in here. From the driver's seat, the Akrapovič pipes emit a deep but isolated growl under moderate throttle and let fly the occasional crack and pop under deceleration, especially when driven in Sport mode. It's perfectly in character for the Bentayga Speed.

The ride, too, is really nicely judged for the Speed. As you'd expect, it does ride more firmly than other Bentaygas, but over Montana's high-speed two-lane roads, it never feels too stiff to be considered appropriate. Bigger gaps in the asphalt, or just moderate potholes, send the sound and the feeling of a good whack into the cabin, but that's a byproduct of the optional 23-inch wheels that are fitted to my Bentayga. I doubt going down to the standard 22-inch wheels will solve this, even in the Comfort mode setting. If you're after a smooth ride, the Flying Spur might be your speed.

Rally adjacent

If you find yourself owning a Bentayga, it's bound to happen that you'll find yourself on an estate with unpaved roads or, in my case, a vast Montana ranch. Bentley tuned the stability control system on the Speed to take advantage of brake-based torque vectoring and give you a bit of room to slide the Bentayga around a bit more than usual.

Despite the Bentayga once conquering the Pikes Peak hillclimb, the Speed isn't going to instantly transform into a rally machine just because you press a few buttons. That said, you can wiggle the Speed into and out of 90-degree turns with confidence. Through its various sensors, the torque-vectoring system can sense the hallmarks of understeer and will brake the inside rear wheel, and the inside front wheel if necessary, to almost drag the Bentayga back to the apex of a corner. It's not terribly dynamic, but it is somewhat effective so long as you don't really overdrive the Bentayga. Of course, with all that torque under my right foot, I couldn't help but repeatedly slide the Speed out of every corner. As capable as the Bentyaga might feel on gravel, I would recommend you have some sympathy for those 23-inch wheels and low-profile tires. They're definitely not cut out for even light off-roading. 

Of course, when you're paying well over $200,000 for any vehicle, especially an SUV, you should expect quite a breadth of capability. But with the exception of the Lamborghini Urus Performante, there's not much else that can match the Bentayga's mojo. SUVs like the Aston Martin DBX707 and Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT are strictly on-road-oriented, while the Ferrari Purosange is easily double the price of the Bentayga Speed. Of these mega-SUVs, it's nice to see that you can get a lot for your money, even if you have to spend a lot of money to get it.