BENTAYGA BENTAYGA SPEED: THE FASTEST ICE SUV TO STORM THE GOODWOOD HILL - TO DATE.
There’s fast, and then there’s Goodwood fast. And that’s a different kind of flex altogether. At the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Bentley showed up with something to prove - and the new Bentayga Speed didn’t just rise to the challenge, it redefined it. Despite the kind of typically British drizzle that would have most SUVs treading carefully, Bentley’s newest performance flagship climbed the hill in just 55.8 seconds, officially becoming the fastest internal combustion production SUV to ever take on the famous hillclimb. That time? It even beat the previous record set by the last-gen W12-powered Bentayga Speed, and that was in dry conditions. The only SUV to go quicker was Bentley’s own Pikes Peak special, a one-off designed solely to break records. In other words, the new Bentayga Speed has taken the production SUV crown and bolted it to its 23-inch wheels. The car behind the madness features a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 pushing out 478 kW and a monstrous 850 Nm of torque. That’s good for 0–60 mph in just 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 310 km/h - numbers that aren’t just impressive for an SUV, they’re blistering full stop. But performance is only part of the story. The new Bentayga Speed is a lesson in how to fuse raw pace with genuine driver engagement, grand touring comfort, and old-school Bentley opulence. This new-gen V8 isn’t just more powerful, it’s more characterful too. A sports exhaust system is fitted as standard, delivering a deep, resonant soundtrack through dual elliptical tailpipes. For those wanting to take the drama further, there’s the option of a Titanium Akrapovič exhaust with quad tips - louder, sharper, and a proper sonic match for the car’s aggressive intent.
Three driving modes are available - COMFORT, BENTLEY, and a reworked SPORT mode. While the first two retain their signature refinement, SPORT mode gets a serious upgrade. Steering response is heightened, suspension damping stiffness is upped by 15%, and brake-based torque vectoring helps rotate the car with surprising agility. The result is a near-impossible blend of SUV mass and sports car reflex.
For those brave enough to take things further, Bentley now offers ESC Dynamic mode. Designed for maximum driver involvement, this allows for controlled oversteer and launch control - a first for the Bentayga nameplate. Pair it with optional carbon ceramic brakes and the newly added all-wheel steering, and the Bentayga Speed suddenly feels more like a big Bentley GT on stilts than a high-riding luxury cruiser. That rear-wheel steering works oppositely to the front at low to medium speeds for ultra-tight turning and quicker direction changes, then aligns at higher speeds to deliver improved stability and poise. It’s one of many tech additions that make this the most agile Bentayga yet - and it shows, especially when you’re watching it tear through Molecomb at almost 210 km/h before hammering the brakes. As expected of anything with a Bentley badge, the design is full of visual presence. The Bentayga Speed wears dark-tint brightware, 22-inch Speed wheels (with a 23-inch option now available for the first time), Speed-specific headlamps and tail lamps, and bright chrome Speed badging on the front doors. Optional painted brake calipers come in seven different colours, letting owners add a bespoke touch of aggression. The wheels themselves are finished in dark tint or silver as standard, while the optional 23s can be specced in grey satin, gloss black, or black and bright machined - provided you’ve ticked the carbon ceramic brakes box. The whole package isn’t just bold - it’s brutally elegant, with a stance that hints at the savage performance lurking beneath the sculpted skin.
Bentley didn’t just raise the bar; they launched it into orbit. With the new Bentayga Speed, Crewe’s finest has delivered a luxury SUV that corners like a sports car, accelerates like a supercar, and still knows how to cosset its passengers like only a Bentley can. And now, it’s a record-holding hillclimb weapon too.
Take a look at the YouTube video hosted by the DPC Cars folks that shows the properly rapid run the Bentley Bentayga Speed managed up the iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed hill: How the 2025 Bentley Bentayga Speed Beat the Goodwood Record | DPCcars
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