The Volkswagen Group does have no
problem letting its brands competing against each other. Case at hand, the
upcoming Bentley Bentayga Speed, which might be just as powerful as the
Lamborghini Urus. Tipped to arrive in the first half of the year, Autocar claims that
the twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 engine will be tuned to produce 650 PS.
The 42 PS increase over the regular
W12-powered SUV will place it against the Lamborghini Urus, whose twin-turbo
4.0-liter V8 also produces 650 PS by its twin-turbocharged
4.0-liter V8. The 0-100 km/h takes just 3.6 seconds in the Italian
SUV, and will take under 4 seconds in the upcoming Bentayga Speed, which might
also have an increased top speed to 306 km/h.
The crew from Crewe has taken the
performance-oriented Speed very seriously. Thus, in addition to the rumored
increase in output, the eight-speed automatic gearbox will be revised and the
chassis tuned to improve cornering at high speeds. No weight saving measures will be
taken, so expect it to tip the scales at approximately 2,440 kg,
which is about the same as the regular W12-powered model.
In the design department, some subtle exterior
upgrades, as well as a few changes made inside, will set it apart from the
existing versions. Pricing will reportedly be bumped by roughly £ 20,000 in the United Kingdom, with the Bentayga Speed expected to
kick off from around £ 185,000 without any optional extras.
Now, we know that the Urus was designed from the
outset as a flamboyant crossover that would encompass many cues from the
brand’s supercars, while the Bentayga was intended to be a much more luxurious,
and comfortable, ride. However, in the rarefied air of hyper SUVs with
exorbitant prices, it wouldn’t be uncommon for customers to cross-shop between
the two, as well as other models like the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and the upcoming
Ferrari Purosangue. Apart from the performance-oriented Speed, the Bentayga PHEV will
allegedly go on sale this fall, with a larger battery pack and lower emissions
than the model dispayed last year in Geneva.
