2026 Bentley Bentayga Speed revealed as British brand's fastest SUV yet
last year
wasn't all bad news, since the V8 that replaces it in the upgraded 2026 Bentley Bentayga Speed makes the British brand's flagship SUV even quicker, faster, lighter and more agile than before.
Revealed overnight ahead of first Australian customer deliveries in the third quarter (July to September) of 2026, the refreshed Bentayga Speed is powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 that produces 478kW of power and 850Nm of torque (over 2250-4500rpm).
That's up 11kW but down 50Nm on the 12-cylinder model it replaces, yet because the V8 reduces kerb weight by 42kg to a still-hefty 2466kg, the latest Bentayga Speed is claimed to hit 60mph (97km/h) from standstill half a second sooner, in 3.4 seconds.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal.
Browse now
.
Given that 0-60mph time equates to a 0-100km/h time of about 3.5 seconds, it means the flagship version of Bentley's only SUV is now as quick as the
Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S E-Performance
plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV and the
Kia EV6 GT
electric 'SUV' (and now much quicker than a base
Porsche 911
).
However, it's still slower than a host of other high-performance SUVs, including the
Lamborghini Urus Performante
,
Ferrari Purosangue
and
Aston Martin DBX707
(all of which claim a 3.3-second 0-100km/h time), and electric SUVs including the
Lotus Eletre R
(2.9s),
Porsche Macan Electric Turbo
(3.3s) and
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
(3.4s)
Bentley says the newest Bentayga Speed is also faster than ever, with its top speed of 310km/h – almost 5km/h more than before – matching the DBX707 and bettering the Purosangue, but falling just short of the Urus SE Hybrid.
To show off its extra pace, the V8-powered Speed scores a sports exhaust system as standard, but an optional Akrapovic titanium unit with quad outlets should make up for its four fewer cylinders when it comes to the exhaust note.
There are also revised drive modes including a Sport mode that increases damping stiffness by 15 per cent and increases the stability control system threshold to 'permit exhilarating drift angles'.
Combined with less weight over its nose, rear-wheel steering increases both high-speed stability and low-speed manoeuvrability, leading Bentley to claim the Speed is its most agile SUV ever.
Cosmetically, the top-shelf Bentayga wears Speed badges on the outside and rides on unique 22-inch wheels, with the option of 23-inch rims wrapped around carbon-ceramic brake rotors.
Completing the Speed package inside is a revised digital instrument cluster layout, Speed badging on the seats, scuff plates and the passenger side of the dashboard, and special quilted Precision Diamon trim highlights.
Australian pricing is yet to be confirmed, but the existing Bentayga Speed is priced at $531,500 before on-road costs, positioning it well above the entry-level 404kW/770Nm Bentayga V8 and the 340kW/700Nm V6 Hybrid (both priced from $395,800), as well as S and Azure variants with the same powertrains.
The Mulliner Hybrid tops Bentley Australia's current Bentayga range at $646,800 plus on-roads.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Telegraph
9 minutes ago
- Daily Telegraph
ABS travel data shows fall in Aussie visits to US
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Australian holiday-makers continue to drift away from the US, with fresh Australian Bureau of Statistics data revealing a stark fall off in visitor numbers. Overseas arrivals and departures data shows the US fell from third to fourth most popular travel destination across 2024-25. Travel to the vast and vibrant North American democracy was now 25 per cent lower from 10 years ago, the ABS said. China, meanwhile, rose two spots to fifth place, even as the government recommends travellers exercise a 'high degree of caution' when visiting the Communist country. More restrictive US trade and entry policies, introduced following US President Donald Trump's victory in November last year, could be dampening Australia's traditional American wanderlust. The US boasts a range of legendary cities including New York. Picture: Visit USA In a trading update from July, travel booking company Flight Centre warned of an 'ongoing global downturn in bookings to the US' and said Australian holiday-makers were searching for destinations closer to home. 'This volatility temporarily disrupted traditional travel and booking patterns during Flight Centre's peak trading period as some customers either booked closer-to-home overseas holidays (in Australia, examples include China, Japan, Fiji and New Zealand) or delayed finalising travel plans,' the company said. The $2.8bn company delivered a reduced profit forecast as a result of the disruption in traditional travel patterns. Though travel to the US declined, Indonesia held steady as Australia's most popular travel destination. Indonesia remains Australia's most popular holiday destination. Picture: Getty Images The northern neighbour, which boasts the tourism crown jewel of Bali, accounted for 14 per cent of Australian overseas trips across the year. Some 87 per cent of the 1,741,370 trips recorded to Indonesia were for holidays. New Zealand came in second place, Japan third, the US fourth and China at No.5. Trips to Japan have tripled compared with 2015, while trips to India have doubled. For travel into Australia, New Zealanders took out top spot, accounting for 16.6 per cent of all visitors, or 1,391,140 visits. The median duration of stay in Australia was 12 days, the same as 2023-24. Originally published as ABS overseas arrivals and departures data shows 25 per cent fall in Aussie visits to US
Canberra Times
37 minutes ago
- Canberra Times
MG Australia mulling premium extended-range electric SUV for 2026
"We have already begun looking at opportunities, which may include a large SUV, for a third model in 2026 or beyond, under the IM Presented by MG Motor brand," a statement from the company to CarExpert said.
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
ABS travel data shows fall in Aussie visits to US
Australian holiday-makers continue to drift away from the US, with fresh Australian Bureau of Statistics data revealing a stark fall off in visitor numbers. Overseas arrivals and departures data shows the US fell from third to fourth most popular travel destination across 2024-25. Travel to the vast and vibrant North American democracy was now 25 per cent lower from 10 years ago, the ABS said. China, meanwhile, rose two spots to fifth place, even as the government recommends travellers exercise a 'high degree of caution' when visiting the Communist country. More restrictive US trade and entry policies, introduced following US President Donald Trump's victory in November last year, could be dampening Australia's traditional American wanderlust. In a trading update from July, travel booking company Flight Centre warned of an 'ongoing global downturn in bookings to the US' and said Australian holiday-makers were searching for destinations closer to home. 'This volatility temporarily disrupted traditional travel and booking patterns during Flight Centre's peak trading period as some customers either booked closer-to-home overseas holidays (in Australia, examples include China, Japan, Fiji and New Zealand) or delayed finalising travel plans,' the company said. The $2.8bn company delivered a reduced profit forecast as a result of the disruption in traditional travel patterns. Though travel to the US declined, Indonesia held steady as Australia's most popular travel destination. The northern neighbour, which boasts the tourism crown jewel of Bali, accounted for 14 per cent of Australian overseas trips across the year. Some 87 per cent of the 1,741,370 trips recorded to Indonesia were for holidays. New Zealand came in second place, Japan third, the US fourth and China at No.5. Trips to Japan have tripled compared with 2015, while trips to India have doubled. For travel into Australia, New Zealanders took out top spot, accounting for 16.6 per cent of all visitors, or 1,391,140 visits. The median duration of stay in Australia was 12 days, the same as 2023-24. Originally published as ABS overseas arrivals and departures data shows 25 per cent fall in Aussie visits to US
