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2021 Bentley Bentayga Speed adopts new look, still fastest SUV in the world

The updated 2021 Bentley Bentayga didn’t have to wait long to gain its Speed variant back. WeÂ’re less than a month removed from the standard 2021 BentaygaÂ’s big reveal, and the Speed has returned sporting all the same styling elements as its less powerful sibling. If you paid much attention to the Speed model when it was revealed in February last year, you already know most of the pertinent information on the new one. It has a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 under hood that produces 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. ThatÂ’s good enough for a 3.9-second 0-62 mph sprint. Top speed hasnÂ’t changed from before at 190 mph, so it still slots in right next to the Lamborghini Urus as the fastest SUV in the world. Not as though efficiency will matter all that much, but the W12 does feature cylinder deactivation technology that can deactivate up to six cylinders. YouÂ’ll be able to tell the Speed apart from the standard Bentayga on the road if you look closely enough. It has unique bumpers in front and back, a dark grille, oval-shaped quad exhaust, elongated roof spoiler, body-color side skirts, unique 22-inch wheels, and of course, Speed badging. The seat backrests are also embroidered with “Speed” unless the customer prefers the Bentley logo. Contrast stitching and diamond quilting unique to the Speed is used to further differentiate the interior. Plus, Bentley adds “Speed” badging to the illuminated sill plates. Lastly, Bentayga Speed buyers will have the choice of optioning the “Black Specification.” This replaces any brightwork on the exterior with blacked-out or carbon fiber trim. For example, the front splitter, side sills and roof spoiler are finished in carbon fiber. Bentley then uses gloss black paint on the rear bumper diffuser, roof rails, exhaust tips and wheels. Pricing isnÂ’t out for the new Bentayga Speed yet, but itÂ’ll be available soon after the standard V8 Bentayga begins arriving at Bentley retailers. Related video:

Bentley shifting W12 engine production to UK

Who would you think would be the largest producer of 12-cylinder engines in the world? Mercedes? BMW? Ferrari? Think again: as you might have guessed from the headline, it's Bentley. The thing is that, while all Bentley automobiles are manufactured in the UK, its engines aren't: while the 6.75-liter V8 in the Mulsanne is made at home, the innovative 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine in Continental models so equipped (like the newer 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8) is shipped in from Germany. But that won't be the case any longer.
Bentley has just announced that production of the W12 engine is moving to its home base in Crewe by the end of this year. The shift in production (which follows the migration of the Flying Spur from Dresden to Crewe in 2007) will create 100 jobs in the UK - a country which employs some 142,000 workers in the automotive sector - and produce as many as 9,000 engines per year. That in and of itself would account for the vast majority of the 10,000-plus cars Bentley made last year, but will also make Bentley an exporter of engines for the first time in its history.
Right there at the factory, Bentley will fit the engines into twelve-cylinder versions of the Continental GT, GTC and Flying Spur, and send some back to Germany for use in the Audi A8. Applications within the Volkswagen brand itself like the Phaeton and Touareg no longer use the W12 engine, but could conceivably use it again in the future - they'll just have to bring them in from England is all.

2022 Bentley Flying Spur gets more standard features

Adding more standard features tends to be something we see with more affordable vehicles during model year changes. It's a way to add more value and tempt buyers. The Bentley Flying Spur on the other hand, has a lot more to entice buyers than its standard feature list. Nevertheless, Bentley has updated the 2022 model with a number of now included items that make the nearly $200,000 sedan more attractive. All of the features are relatively minor convenience items. They include auto-dimming mirrors, surround-view camera, traffic sign recognition, hands-free trunk opening, welcome lighting and air ionizers for keeping the cabin clear of dust and such. For the price of a Flying Spur, it's a little surprising some of these features weren't already standard, but it's better late than never. Bentley has also introduced two new customization options. For the exterior, the Flying Spur is now available in Cambrian Grey, shown at the top of the post, which brings the color option total to 63. Inside, Bentley now offers open-pore wood veneers. To achieve the look, Bentley applies a matte lacquer just 0.1 mm in thickness, versus the 0.5-mm thick gloss finish. It's available on Crown Cut Walnut, Dark Burr Walnut and Koa wood veneers. Finally, Bentley did some virtual testing of the interior design that led to some reworking of noise insulation around the cabin. The result, the company claims, is an even quieter interior while driving. Exact timing and pricing haven't been given for the 2022 Flying Spur. We don't expect the base price to change much from the $196,000 of the current Flying Spur V8. It should also be available sometime this year. Related Video: