2021 Bentley Bentayga Speed Is Nigh, Will Stack Horsepower 627 High

We’ve already seen the facelifted 2021 Bentley Bentayga, and the new look takes an SUV that’s no stranger to aesthetic controversy and gives it a lower, more planted mien. Only the roof and door skins were untouched, which makes for a more effective overhaul, but the outrageous Speed version might bring the most substantive reinvention. Powered by the Volkswagen Group’s fascinating and power-dense W-12 engine, we now have our first, semi-disguised look at the speedy SUV in its updated duds.

These aren’t spy shots; they come to us from Bentley itself. Think of them more as a few promotional shots to build buzz ahead of a full reveal we expect next week. But we’ve already heard a bit about what to expect from this 12-cylinder bruiser. For one, the Speed will be the only way to get a W-12 under the hood of the Bentayga, period, because this is how the vast majority of buyers of W-12s want it. Give the people what they desire, Bentley says. And what they desire are very fast SUVs with 627 horsepower that cost more than most homes.

We expect the 627 ponies to remain the same, as the Speed was just released into the range shortly before the facelift occurred. That means the 190-mph top speed is also unlikely to change. Yes, this is a luxury SUV that scorched the test track, hitting 60 mph in 3.1 seconds and running an 11.5-second quarter-mile.

Surely that’s enough for any Bentley owner? Few will complain if a facelift only preserves these figures, we think, since they’re so remarkable given the Bentayga Speed’s prodigious heft and size.

Bentley has sold more than 20,000 Bentaygas worldwide since the debut in 2015, and its a major point of entry into the brand for buyers. We expect the facelifted Speed to serve this clientele well.

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