Bentley chiefs at the Frankfurt motor show have dropped a major hint that a high-performance version of its new Bentayga is in the works.
Speculation that a more focused variant of the SUV, possibly carrying the Bentayga Speed name, was being prepared arose after a new version of the car was spied testing.
Revealed: Bentley Bentayga Speed edition
At the Frankfurt show, Bentley engineering boss Rolf Frech has explained that the standard Bentayga will not become the world’s first 200mph SUV because of the wide safety margins the company chooses for its tyres.
“But that is not to say there will not be other variants in the future,” he hinted. Asked whether that could indicate a Bentayga Speed wearing more sporting rubber, he said: “Never say never”.
The VW Group's petrol engine chief Fritz Eichler has added further credence to the Bentayga Speed speculation by admitting that the Bentayga's twin-turbocharged W12 engine is "only at the beginning of its potential". "There is a lot more to come - a lot more," he said.
The version of the car seen in the spy pictures differed from earlier Bentayga test mules because it featured a different front bumper incorporating larger air intakes and a lower air splitter, plus a small spoiler mounted at the top of the hatchback and more aggressive side skirts.
Our photographers also reported that the car sounded considerably more aggressive than other test cars, an indication that it featured a more sporty exhaust set-up.
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