Bentley’s latest bespoke commission, a Bentayga Speed, may not be an actual rocket ship to the stars, but the space-themed SUV is built to perform like one.
The model was requested by a client of the British carmaker’s Orlando, Florida dealership as an ode to the city’s local space coast. Created by the Mulliner design team, its carbon-fibre exterior is dressed in Cypress, a dark metallic grey with subtle green undertones that gives the 7-seater its meteor-like presence. All of the chrome typically found on Bentayga models has been replaced with a gloss black version for this edition, while an “orange flame” runs along the bottom of the chassis to add contrast and mirror comet dust trailing the night sky.
Inside the unknown client’s stellar ride, the first feature made to standout is the illuminating treadplates along its doorways that depict planets orbiting a solar system. From there, the driver and guests alike will spot orange bezels that surround the “Galaxy Stone” fascias set into the dashboard—also mirrored on the door waistrails. Sound-wise, the satin black speaker grills of the ‘Naim for Bentley’ sound system are discreetly placed throughout the interior, but the luminous Naim centre badges are less concerned with blending in.
A bright-orange Bentley emblem can be found in the centre of each seat, while micro piping in the same shade trails each seat’s edges; as well as the car’s floor mats. The bespoke Bentayga Speed features its largest splashes of orange near the driver, which are meant to look like solar eruptions. For example, the steering wheel and gear lever are the brightest areas in the interior; both are also trimmed in a luxurious contrasting hide. If the ride’s Guardians of the Galaxy-style interior doesn’t pique your interest, its powerful drivetrain may just.
For rocket-like performance, the SUV features the same 6.0-litre W12 twin-turbocharged engine instilled in the most recent 2021 Bentayga Speed model. It delivers up to 664 ft lbs of torque and 626 hp that the allows for a gut-wrenching top speed of 190 mph. The second fastest SUV to date, it sprints from 0 to 60 in under four seconds. And as part of the Bentayga series, this custom make is equipped with the line’s four on-road Drive Dynamic modes: The options include comfort and sport modes plus the Bentley mode for a recommended balance, along with a custom mode in case the owner wants to play around with the setup.
What’s special about Florida’s space coast? Well, based in Brevard County, the region encompasses the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and all of Nasa’s spaceflights have launched from those two locations. With over 72 miles of coastline, the themed location is great for star-gazing but also attracts visitors for hiking, fishing, surfing and of course, rocket launches.
“The Space Coast in central Florida has long been established as the world’s gateway to explore the universe above, so space travel and exploration were the perfect themes to inspire this unique car,” says Joseph Wierda, Bentley Orlando General Manager.
Previously published on Robb Report.
