Volkswagen Auto Group’s W12 engine brought a strong air of uniqueness to every platform it was bolted up to. Particularly those built by its high-end British luxury nameplate, Bentley, where this massive and somewhat bizarre lump first saw service under the hood of the first-generation Bentley Continental GT. After that, it truly made its mark in various Speed-badged models where its high horsepower and instant, thunderous torque truly fit the badge.
The 2026 Bentley Bentayga Speed no longer has those extra four cylinders—it’s the brand’s more common twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8—but does it still have that added performance flare that the Speed badge promises? Even without the hybridized EV powertrain that its smaller Continental GT Speed sibling possesses, it’s still something to behold, starting at $280,000.
Inside-Out Grandeur
From the outside, the only real trait that gives away the Bentayga Speed’s high-performance personality is its understated Speed badging. Otherwise, discerning passers by might shrug it off as any run-of-the-mill Bentley SUV. German automakers are often the default “if you know, you know” purveyors of understated athleticism, but this brawny SUV fits the bill quite well, too. Well, it does share a chassis with its VW Auto Group cousins, but the styling is all upper-crust Anglo. It’s a handsome, opulent devil, particularly in my tester’s beautiful electric green paint and fitted with its dark grey 23-inch five-spoke alloys.
Inside is all quintessential Bentley: sumptuous leather throughout with fine hand-sewn stitching, plus the right mix of Alcantara, thick piano-black plastic, and substantial metallic controls. It’s a master class in tactility—even opening and closing vents is a treat. Bentley’s infotainment software has been around for a while, but it’s far from looking aged or stale, and blends in nicely to its surroundings. In our age of increasing screen sizes and decreasing physical controls, the Bentayga maintains a solid balance of the two, with more than enough buttons to actually press, rather than relying on menus to page through and tap.
Impressively Athletic
When I drove the Bentley Bentayga last year in non-Speed form, I never found myself craving more corner-carving ability or acceleration. Even with a little over 5,200 pounds to haul, I couldn’t get over how fun it was to sail through my favorite mountainside roads, ample grip and turn-in ability keeping me entertained all-day-long. Well, at least until its thirsty twin-turbo V8 got through 18-plus gallons of premium fuel.
Despite not having the plug-in hybrid EV powertrain that its smaller, Speed-badged Continental GT and Flying Spur siblings have, the high-spec Bentayga takes it up a notch in its engine and chassis tuning. With more boost pressure from its twin turbos, output is an immense 641 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, up from 542 and 510, respectively, in standard non-Speed V8 spec. Traveling through an eight-speed automatic transmission, Torsen limited-slip center- and locking rear-differential, these figures bring the Speed up to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, and top out at 193 mph. Center drive mode dial turned to Sport, my tester sounded glorious at full throttle and never ceased to make its presence known rolling around town. It may take the cake as possessing the most aggressive-yet-dignified exhaust tone, ever.
5,425 pounds is a hell of a number, but the way it took off—quarter, 50-percent, or full-throttle—was uncanny. After all, torque peaks at just 2,000 RPM. No surprise that fuel economy is rated at just 15 mpg city and 24 highway, and good luck even reaching that. But for the prospective owner shelling out nearly $300,000 to start, it’s a non-issue.
The basis for the Bentayga Speed’s handling is double-wishbone front and multi-link rear independent suspension, joined by self-leveling air suspension and adaptive damping. It rides rather comfortably in all modes, but body roll is beautifully restrained in sport, feeling more like a fast compact crossover or even highly athletic sport sedan. Like the similarly weighing 2025 BMW M5 or the Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E-Performance. Bentley went to work tweaking the Speed’s damper and spring tuning, and it shows: even more grippy and controlled high atop Southern California’s best driving roads, and with brakes that are far more up to snuff than in lower-tier V8 trims. The latter’s steel rotors are only 15.75 inches in diameter up front and 15 out back, but the calipers are 10-piston front and 6-piston rear, and presumably sporting a focused pad compound due to their mild screech when up to temperature.
In addition to its beautifully contained body roll, turn-in was respectably responsive for a big SUV, with excellent weight and ratio to boot. Again, lower-spec V8 models are also great, but this monster truly punches above its weight.
As far as any general qualms go… well… there aren’t really any worth noting. OK, fan speed sometimes takes its sweet time changing after a couple of quick taps on the screen. But otherwise, for something creeping up on a third of a million dollars—which easily ratchets up to half-a-mil with options—there sure better not much to gripe about.
Hard To Top
The 2026 Bentley Bentayga Speed is proof we’re living in an era of peak internal combustion and chassis tuning technology. Even with 5,200 pounds to haul and a towering SUV ride height, its stiff chassis, focused suspension tuning—with no real downside to ride quality—and brutal power output make it a hell of a contender on anyone’s favorite road. Of course, it all comes at a massive financial premium, but at least a beautiful, opulent interior and overwhelming air of fine craftsmanship is thrown in for good measure. The Bentayga Speed is peak high-end luxury performance.