The Bentley Bentayga claims to be the fastest and most powerful SUV->ke145 in the market but apparently, that title, or whatever you want to call it, isn’t ensough for Bentley.->ke15 A new report by way of Auto Express indicates that an even faster and more powerful Bentayga is on the way, one that will carry the name Bentayga Speed.
Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer talked about the possibility of a Bentayga Speed at the Beijing Motor Show,->ke2062 hinting that it’s a model that we should “expect” to see in the future. Durheimer remained mum on the details behind the model, but a quick gander at the specs of the Continental GT Speed shows that it has 633 horsepower on tap, 11.5 percent more than its standard model. Likewise, the Mulsanne Speed has 530 horsepower, close to 10 percent more than the regular Mulsanne.
Following this formula, a Bentayga Speed could pack have anywhere from 660 to 670 horsepower, further boosting its claim as the fastest and most powerful SUV in the market today. The expected improvements in performance should back up that claim as the standard Bentayga->ke5088 is already capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in four seconds with a top speed of 187 mph. Is there a chance that the Bentayga Speed could hit 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and boast a top speed in excess of 190 mph? It’s certainly possible.
If the Bentayga Speed does come to fruition, it would represent a new variant to the SUV that’s also expected to receive diesel and hybrid versions. Given how much Bentley has invested in the Bentayga, a rounded lineup like this one would certainly give the SUV the variant versatility that makes it more appealing to a bigger group of potential customers. Whether it’s someone who’s looking for performance or someone who’s into hybrids, the Bentayga is shaping up as one of those models that has variant for every taste.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
2016 Bentley Preparing Faster And More Powerful Bentayga SUV
- Make: Array
- Model: 2016 Bentley Preparing Faster And More Powerful Bentayga SUV
- Engine/Motor: V6
- Horsepower: 441
- Torque: 570
- [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Why it matters
The SUV market has become so competitive these days that it’s hard not to fault Bentley for taking this approach. The British automaker knows that the segment is booming and its easy to rationalise the importance of having more variants of the Bentayga. If Bentley’s plans come to bear, the Bentayga will have close to five different variants. It has a standard version, a diesel version, a hybrid, a performance model, and there’s even talks of a coupe-SUV fastback model that will compete with the likes of the BMW X6 and the Mercedes GLE Coupe.
Some might say that having five different variants is too many and the concern is legitimate in that regard if there’s a fear of saturating the market with all these variants. But Bentley, as is every other automaker, is at the point right now where it needs to make the most of what it can get from the SUV segment. There’s really no telling how long this segment will remain popular so while it’s still as hot as it’s ever been these days, companies need to take that risk to ensure that it can maximize that potential. That doesn’t mean that it’s going to be successful, but there’s really no other way to find out than to give it a shot.
Fortunately for Bentley, the Bentayga is new enough that a lot of people will be immediately interested at the possibility of giving it a look-see. That, I assume, is what the automaker wants and it’s banking on all these variants, including the Bentayga Speed, to turn that curiosity into a genuine interest in buying one. Let’s hope that for the sake of the SUV market’s continued growth, the Bentayga Speed enters the segment and it forces other premium automakers to step up their game with their own range-topping performance SUVs. It wouldn’t be as fun without any competition, right?
Bentley Bentayga
Read our full review on the Bentley Bentayga here.