Just a few weeks after the Bentley announced that it was working on a Bentayga Speed, the Bentayga is in the news again; this time for smashing the record for a production SUV at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Bentley has been on fire lately with the Bentayga, and it looks like the Bentayga is starting to show who the real monster is!

That’s a BIG Margin!

The 12.42-mile summit was completed in the course of just 10:49.9; which is not just a few seconds, but nearly two minutes shorter than the previous record set by Paul Dallenbach in 2013. Paul’s ride was a 5.0-liter, V-8, Range Rover Sport with 510 horses under the hood. The Bentayga steam-rolled this record, with two-time champion from New Zealand, Rhys Millen, piloting the beast. The Bentayga climbed almost 5,000 feet, covering 156 corners, at an average speed of 66.5 mph!

While this is the record in the SUV division, the overall record was also broken this year by Romain Dumas in an all-electric Volkswagen I.D. R; setting a new record at a staggering 7:57.148 minutes! Dumas broke the previous record set by Sebastian Loeb in a Peugeot 208 T16 in 2013.

Why Even Bother To Modify When The Stock Version Itself Is So Powerful

The Bentayga was raced in stock form; except for minimal modification, limited to weight reduction. The Bentayga pulled effortlessly on the Pikes Peak, thanks to its mammoth W-12 engine. It produces 600 horses and 664 pound-feet of torque, sent to all four wheels via a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. The heavyweight SUV is capable of hitting 0-62 mph in four seconds flat! Talk about stealing the limelight back from the other SUVs in the segment (cough, Cullinan, cough). The adaptive air suspension, carbon ceramic brakes, and an active electric 48-volt anti-roll control certainly aided in setting the new record.

There were only a few changes made to the Stock Bentayga - like the front seats being replaced with the racing versions, removal of the rear seats, a fire suppression system, and a roll cage being installed. Apart from this, a production-spec Akrapovic Sports Exhaust and Pirelli’s DOT-marked range tyres were selected. The beast looked hot in a Radium Satin paintwork, complemented by the all-black chrome and carbon fiber body kit provided by Bentley’s Black Specification.

What Do They Have To Say?

“This record proves the outstanding dynamic ability of the Bentayga – demonstrating again how Bentley Motors is the only automotive company in the world that can combine pinnacle luxury and breathtaking performance. Congratulations to all at Bentley Motorsport and to Rhys Millen and his team.” Bentley’s Member of the Board for Sales & Marketing, Chris Craft, said.

“What an incredible machine. To take a luxury SUV with minimal modifications and be able to drive up this course in under 11 minutes is a huge testament to the performance and level of engineering in the Bentayga. I had a great run – the car was planted all the way up and gave me the confidence I needed to push hard. I’m delighted to take the SUV record for Bentley and for everyone that’s been involved in this project.” said Rhys Millen, post the run.

Of Course They Will Celebrate The Run

To commemorate the record-breaking run, Bentley announced a new Limited Edition Bentayga, limited to just ten cars. Designed and handcrafted by Mulliner - Bentley’s in-house, bespoke and coach-building division – the Pikes Peak model will come finished in either Deep Beluga Black paint or Striking Radium, to go with 22-inch wheels that have a bespoke two-tone design of Beluga with Radium accents. The Black Specification is included, replacing all exterior chrome with gloss-black components. A carbon fiber splitter, side skirts, diffuser, rear spoiler, and a subtle Pikes Peak motif will also be added.

The seats and doors will be finished in Beluga leather, with Alcantara inserts. The steering wheel and gear lever are also trimmed in Alcantara, and the headlining is technical Eliade cloth. A Pikes Peak logo will be featured on the carbon fiber fascias and the numbered treadplates.

Under the hood, the Pikes Peak model will be the same as the regular Bentayga. An Adaptive air suspension and Bentley’s unique and world-first 48-volt electric active anti-roll control system (Bentley Dynamic Ride) will be added, ensuring the perfect balance between refined ride comfort and optimum body control. The Bentayga Sports Exhaust and Touring Specification pack will come as standard.

The beast will be available to order from August, but there’s no word on pricing or how many cars will be allotted to the U.S. or Europe out of the total 10 Pikes Peak Bentaygas. However, it will certainly cost more than the regular Bentayga that retails at $230,000. Given it is limited to just ten examples, can the Pikes Peak Bentayga be sold faster than the beast’s record-run time? Too optimistic of me, but you never know! Let us know your thoughts as well.

Further Reading

Read our full review on the 2017 Bentley Bentayga.

Read more Bentley news.

What You Need To Know About The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.