2022 Bentley Bentayga S First Test: Dabbling in Speed

We like to imagine the luxury brands of the Volkswagen Group as schoolmates working on similar class projects, again and again. Herr Professor Volkswagen will levy an assignment—like, say, build a full-size luxury SUV on the MLB platform—and Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Porsche will produce their versions, each with its own point of view. Occasionally, one or another of the automakers seems to take a close look at another's homework. Case in point: The new 2022 Bentley Bentayga S we just tested brings to mind the Porsche Cayenne lineup, in particular the GTS and how it relates to the top-dog Cayenne Turbo GT.

It's all about positioning. The Cayenne GTS—like all similarly badged Porsche models—essentially amounts to the brake and suspension upgrades of the Turbo model teamed with a less powerful engine and sold at a more palatable price. The new Bentayga S has a similar relationship with the top-of-the-line Bentayga Speed. But whereas the Bentayga Speed goes full out with a 626-hp 6.0-liter twin-turbo W-12, air springs, a freaky-good 48-volt active anti-roll bar system, big brakes, and summer tires, the S model uses the Bentayga V-8's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 making the same 542 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque. The S blurs the line by also getting a stiffer, sportier tune for its air suspension, and the 48-volt anti-roll bar system with a new Sport mode is standard. The stability control has also been recalibrated to allow for more aggressive driving, while the torque-vectoring system has been reprogrammed to help make the big Bentley a better dancer through tight corners.

Rounding out the $222,525 ($269,390 as tested) package are a host of style changes, the most noticeable of which are unique 22-inch wheels, and a new, louder Sport exhaust system. The Bentayga S also gets black trim, a large rear spoiler, and dark tinting on the head- and taillights. The 2022 Bentayga S also benefits from the midcycle update Bentley made to the 2021 lineup.

Down four cylinders (not to mention 84 horsepower) to the Bentayga Speed, the S is unsurprisingly slower—but not by much, considering the times we're discussing. The 0-60-mph run takes just 3.6 seconds, while the quarter mile passes in 12.1 seconds at 113.6 mph; the Speed needs 3.1 seconds to hit 60 and runs the quarter in 11.5 at 120.7. As you might expect, there's no delta in our 60-0-mph braking test, with both stopping in 114 feet, but the figure eight reveals a slight difference, with the S posting an average lap of 25.0 seconds at 0.76 g versus 24.6 at 0.79 g for the Speed.

With the performance numbers so close, there may be some debate as to whether the Speed's roughly $40K premium might be worth it, especially considering how nicely the S goes down the road. We're not in the habit of turning down 12-cylinder engines, but with a V-8 this nice, well, we're saying there's a chance. The Bentayga's V-8—versions of which are also found in the Cayenne, Audi RS Q8, and Lamborghini Urus—is smooth and quiet, with effortless low-end torque. It's not as shouty as variants found under the hood of its German and Italian cousins, thanks to the Bentayga S' revised exhaust system, but it emits a refined yet somehow still menacing growl when property uncorked.

As with most of its MLB stablemates, the Bentayga's ride and handling balance is superb. Steering is fingertip light, while the suspension is equally adept at eating up decaying roadways, as it keeps the Bentayga S feeling planted and confident on a good back road.

About the only time the Bentley exhibits any bad behavior is when you ask it to rush. It's unlike the Cayenne GTS, which is capable of hanging with Turbo models just about everywhere except the straights. When you get a little overzealous and treat the Bentayga S like the Speed, the transmission tends to upshift too early and downshift a bit late, necessitating the use of the meaty steering-wheel-mounted paddles. And the V-8's outstanding power delivery makes it quite easy to outdrive the brakes.

Not that it isn't capable, but the Bentayga S is much happier grand touring than it is flamethrowing down a twisting bit of tarmac. You'll be much happier, too. It was hard to imagine the Bentayga's cabin getting any nicer than it was when it originally launched, but the refresh for 2021 did much to freshen things up inside. Up front, the seats are more comfortable and better bolstered, and the digital instrument cluster and larger infotainment display (with Audi-sourced software, to boot) bring the Bentayga into the roaring '20s. The back seat is somehow roomier, too, now rivaling the Flying Spur sedan's for comfort.

We rarely call out audio systems in reviews, but the Bentayga's 22-speaker Naim audio system is worth mentioning. Featuring 20 speakers and a 1,780-watt output, it rivals the live concert experience in terms of sheer power and clarity. It's well worth the $8,970 price of admission.

The Bentayga S may not be a full-on carbon copy of the Cayenne GTS, but in reality, it's all the better for it. It's not as outright sporty as the Bentayga Speed or as agile and quick on its feet as its Italo-German cousins, but that just means the S is its own thing. It's a more affordable—very much relatively speaking—but equally entertaining Speed alternative, with a unique point of view on the fast-SUV space. In other words, the Bentayga S isn't so much copied homework as it is a well-executed twist on a common assignment.