You certainly can’t fault Bentley for mincing words here: with 600-plus horses and a drift mode on tap, the 2026 Bentayga Speed sure knows its mission.

The Bentayga Speed returns for 2026 after a two-year hiatus, packing a handful of updates inside and out, and especially under the skin. Chief among those changes is under the hood: the previous Bentayga Speed’s W12 is gone, but this new one doesn’t use the Continental GT and Flying Spur Speed’s hybrid setup, either. Instead, it keeps the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, but instead tweaked to put out 641 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque.

This nearly 100-horsepower bump lets the 2026 Bentayga Speed sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds, a cool half-second faster than the standard-spec Bentayga with the V8. Keep your foot in it, and it’ll top out at 318 km/h. So, yeah, Bentley wasn’t kidding about the speed.

But more than going fast in a straight line, Bentley also threw in a few more tweaks. A new “ESC Dynamic” mode not only dials back the stability control intervention to allow for more tail-wagging antics, but also launch control. Bentley also reworked Sport mode for better steering response and more dampening stiffness. Rear-wheel steering, a more vocal exhaust, and an optional Akrapovic titanium exhaust round out the mechanical changes.

Visually, the Speed differs itself from the standard Bentayga with darkened exterior trim, the requisite badging, unique 22- or 23-inch wheels depending on whether or not you’ve specced the carbon-ceramic brakes, and interior bits.

Pricing and exact availability haven’t been announced, with Bentley only confirming the Bentayga Speed will arrive in time for 2026.