2021 Bentley Bentayga Unveiled With Fresh Tech And Same Mighty W12 Engine

Aug. 12, 2020 3:07 AM ET by Karl Furlong Reveal / Comments

It's the luxury SUV king.

After the Bentley Bentayga mega-luxury SUV received a slew of style and equipment upgrades to ring in the 2021 model year, we now get to see the updated Bentayga Speed. As its name implies, this is the high-performance version of the Bentayga which we caught a glimpse of in mild camouflage a few days ago.

The 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine remains unchanged, but its outputs of 626 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque were hardly puny to begin with. It enables a 0-62 mph time of only 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 190 mph, making this one of the quickest SUVs on the planet.

The changes are more notable outside, such as the updated head- and taillights. On the Speed, these receive a dark-tint finish and are complemented by other upgrades like bespoke bumpers, 22-inch wheels, and large oval tailpipes. As is always the case with Bentley, customization is almost limitless, with 88 exterior color choices and 15 hide shades alone.

Along with the Speed insignia embroidered into the seats, the luxurious cabin is smarter, too. A new 10.9-inch infotainment touchscreen is easier to use than before, while the head-up display projects additional information such as street names and the distance to your destination. Wireless Apple CarPlay is now also fitted as standard.

Bringing the Bentayga Speed into line with other Bentleys such as the Continental GT and Flying Spur is a digital driver's display. The My Bentley in-car and remote connected car services no longer require the driver's mobile phone data connection as an embedded SIM is used.

It all looks good, although some may miss the brand's charming and classy physical dials. The better-connected cabin remains swathed in some of the most opulent materials available in any modern vehicle.

Along with its peerless luxury and stonking straight-line speed, the Bentayga Speed rides and handles supremely well thanks to the Bentley Dynamic Ride system, which the automaker says is the first electric active roll control tech in the world.

"The new Bentayga has already raised the benchmark for luxury SUVs, against which all others are measured," said chairman and chief executive, Adrian Hallmark. "The new Bentayga Speed remains the fastest SUV in the world, but more than that, it's also the most luxurious version of the new Bentayga."

Pricing hasn't been announced but the 2020 Bentayga Speed carried an MSRP of $240,400.