The 2026 Bentley Bentayga Speed Delivers Songs of Power, But Subtly

August 5, 2026 / Sophie Clearwater /

Despite its considerable power, the Bentayga Speed favors a stately design over the flash of rivals like the Purosangue or Urus. Courtesy Bentley

Few who love the elite luxury automotive class saw the Bentley Bentayga coming back around 2016 when the British automaker announced the SUV. Previously known only for its signature coupes and Flying Spur sedan, Bentley seemed as unnatural a fit for a four-door people carrier as Aston Martin or Lamborghini. Now, all of the above (along with Ferrari and Rolls-Royce) sell just such a vehicle, but Bentley got to the finish line first in the 21st-century supercar SUV race. The Bentayga is now its maker’s best seller across its various configurations. That fact is hardly surprising, as many automakers covering the spectrum of consumer classes list a larger vehicle as their top earner. The minds behind Bentley and its six-figure rivals just saw the trend coming and knelt at its altar a little bit faster.

The 2026 Bentayga Speed is a descendant of the vehicle’s re-engineered concept that replaced the original 2019 debut model. The first edition came with a W12 engine, and the British builder has introduced different powerplant options since then, including diesel and PHEV entries. The current Speed dropped four cylinders down to a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine without sacrificing performance.

The 2026 edition is capable of 640 horsepower and a top speed of around 190 mph, surging ahead of the 2019 debut’s 626 horsepower while maintaining the same top speed. The powerplant comes with a key element of any performance Bentley: its engine note. The exhaust system sends out a sound unique to the brand, and a very special audio environment for the automotive industry. The Bentayga Speed’s song manages a tone that’s both soft and powerful, a bellowing rumble heard for blocks outside the SUV and felt inside the chest cavity of anyone within its cockpit.

A twin-turbo V8 now powers the Bentayga Speed, replacing the earlier W12 engine configuration. Courtesy Bentley

It’s so pleasing to the ear that the driver seeks out opportunities to hang back on occasion, waiting at stoplights or leaving enough empty highway pavement ahead so the toe can slam down and engage all eight cylinders just to hear that seismic growl.

However, the upsides of the driving experience aren’t limited to the aural. Bentley’s engineers kept the Bentayga Speed’s weight about 100 lbs. lighter than the previous Bentayga. That might not sound like a lot, considering the Speed’s weight tips the scales at 5,435 lbs., but Bentley’s boffins are clever enough to take that weight loss and exploit it for grounded balance with minimal understeer. That’s an essential element, as an ultra-performance SUV like the Bentayga Speed must manage maneuvers a lesser machine can’t handle at speeds basic SUVs were never intended to achieve.

The acceleration is immediate and steady to a level the driver’s senses won’t expect from a vehicle of the Bentayga’s size. Still, there’s a sophistication and discipline to the Bentayga Speed’s straight-line power, avoiding the harshness of the Ferrari Purosangue or Lamborghini Urus. And just for style points, the Bentley engineers built four-wheel steering into the Speed, with a surprising drift mode and launch control to add a playful attitude to its overall performance package.

At $415,000 fully equipped, the Bentayga Speed asks buyers to choose understated elegance over outright attention-grabbing style. Courtesy Bentley

Inside, the Bentayga Speed seats four in absolute comfort. The front seats feature signature precision diamond quilting. The back of the cabin forgoes a bench design in favor of individual rear seats, with room for a fortunate child in between the back stalls.

To honor the Bentley reputation for luxury, the rear passenger area includes a removable and ejectable touchscreen tablet to control climate, lighting, seat massage options and retractable sun blinds. The user can stay occupied for hours fidgeting with the seats’ 300 possible “postural adjustments.”

If there’s a criticism to park at the wheels of the Bentayga Speed, it’s in the styling department. Anyone close enough to see the unmistakable “B” badge on its distinctive grille will spot the SUV, identify it easily and give it the eyebrow-raising respect it deserves.

However, the vehicle is less striking from a distance. There are smooth Bentley lines stretching from the bonnet, but the back end looks stubby and oddly old-fashioned, hanging onto echoes of a station wagon of ages past. As the 2026 Bentayga Speed passes, it doesn’t turn heads the way the previously mentioned Purosangue, Urus or Aston Martin DBX can.

The question is whether the Bentayga buyer wants that attention for his or her $415,000 (the price tag for a fully kitted-out Speed). It’s a more difficult query than it seems for one of the U.K.’s elite brands. Ferrari and Lamborghini owners buy for the flash factor. Bentley lines, however, are always a little more understated. Their cars are attractive in a more stately and dignified manner. Their owners want a four-wheeled sense of earned elitism with a pinky raised.

Examined in that light, the Bentayga Speed is undeniably stately and dignified, fitting in generally with the rest of the Bentley line. Its buyer no doubt is willing to give up a little of the smoother sexiness of a Continental GT or a Supersports for the extra space.

And it still makes that noise.