2026 Bentley Bentayga X Concept goes lifted and wide
Bentley used the FAT Ice Race in Zell am See, Austria, to put a different kind of Bentayga in front of enthusiasts: the 2026 Bentley Bentayga X Concept. Instead of chasing more rear-seat pampering like the Bentayga EWB or leaning harder into speed like the Bentayga Speed, this one aims at the third leg of the Bentayga’s usual pitch: off-road ability, just turned up and made more visual.
It is also not subtle. The Bentayga X Concept wears its intent in the stance, the add-on hardware, and a few details that feel tailored to an event where image matters almost as much as traction.
What Bentley is trying to test with the Bentayga X Concept
Bentley positions the 2026 Bentayga X Concept as a feedback magnet, essentially a rolling question posed to customers and fans: would you want a more off-road-focused Bentayga, and if so, how far should the brand take it?
That framing matters because Bentley already sells a very capable luxury SUV in the standard Bentayga lineup, and it already offers distinct flavors like the Bentayga Speed and the Bentayga Extended Wheelbase. The Bentayga X Concept reads like a probe aimed at buyers who like the idea of a Bentley that looks ready for remote trails, even if many of those miles happen to be on the way to a ski lodge.
2026 Bentley Bentayga X Concept engine and drivetrain details
Underneath, the 2026 Bentley Bentayga X Concept starts with the Bentayga Speed as its foundation. That means a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 rated at 650 PS, which translates to about 641 hp. Bentley pairs it with an eight-speed automatic transmission and permanent all-wheel drive.
The suspension setup keeps the familiar high-end hardware, including air springs and Bentley Dynamic Ride, the brand’s 48-volt electrically actuated active anti-roll control system. In theory, this gives Bentley a wider tuning window than a conventional setup, with the ability to keep body motions in check on pavement without completely giving up wheel articulation off it.
Bentley did not publish torque output, 0 to 60 mph times, top speed, or any pricing details for this concept. Since this is not a confirmed production model, that omission tracks, but it also makes it harder to judge whether the “more focused off-road” claim comes with any meaningful mechanical recalibration beyond the obvious geometry changes.
The off-road geometry changes that reshape the Bentayga
The biggest story on the 2026 Bentayga X Concept is the stance. Bentley pushed the track out by 120 mm (about 4.7 inches), a change aimed at stability, especially on loose surfaces and off-camber sections. To visually and physically cover that extra width, the wheel arches move outward by 40 mm (about 1.6 inches). It gives the SUV a broader, more planted footprint that reads immediately as “purposeful,” even before you spot the tires.
Bentley also raises the ride height by 55 mm (about 2.2 inches) to free up suspension movement and improve clearance. Bentley says the result is ground clearance just under 310 mm, roughly 12.2 inches. That number puts the Bentayga X Concept into territory that starts to sound like a serious off-road SUV rather than a luxury crossover that simply has drive modes.
The wading figure is another attention-getter. Bentley cites a wading depth of more than 550 mm, about 21.7 inches. That is a meaningful spec in a world where many luxury SUVs prefer to keep their expensive electronics well away from water crossings, even if marketing photos say otherwise.
Wheels, tires, and the parts that change the vibe
Instead of the usual elegant Bentley wheel designs, this concept uses forged, one-piece 22-inch wheels built by Brixton, wrapped in high-profile off-road tires. The size choice is interesting. A 22-inch wheel can still work off-road when paired with enough sidewall, but it is never the simplest route if you prioritize compliance and sidewall protection over looks.
Still, the tall tire sidewalls help communicate the concept’s goal in a way that air suspension specs never can, and the overall combination fits the widened body convincingly. It also signals that Bentley wants the Bentayga X Concept to look like it could take hits, not just pose for snowy paddock photos.
Design notes, including the functional bits
Visually, the Bentayga X Concept lands somewhere between “rally-raid cosplay” and “thoughtful overland build,” and the difference depends on what details you focus on. The widened arches and taller ride height bring more mass into the profile, and the larger sidewalls make the Bentayga’s proportions look less street-biased. It appears tougher without losing the core Bentayga shape, which is probably the point.
Bentley keeps the exterior add-ons deliberately utilitarian. The roof carries storage and four auxiliary spotlights meant for longer, darker routes. There is also an attention-grabbing cargo demonstration up top: an electric Bambino-size go-kart of the type used in the FAT Karting League. It is a playful way to show capacity, even if most owners would choose luggage, skis, or camping gear rather than a kart strapped to thier Bentley.
Those roof additions push total height to 2.49 meters, about 98 inches. That is not a trivial number if you think about parking structures, home garages, or even some hotel porte cocheres. Overland-style accessories often look cool on a concept field, but they can be the first things removed when the daily-use reality arrives.
Out back, Bentley leaves a prominent titanium sport exhaust from Akrapovic in place, a reminder that the Bentayga Speed DNA still lives underneath the off-road hardware. Up front, the concept adds twin towing eyes, the kind of practical touch that suggests Bentley at least considered recovery scenarios rather than only the aesthetic of ruggedness.
Why FAT Ice Race matters here, and the other Bentleys Bentley brought
The 2026 Bentley Bentayga X Concept did not appear in isolation. Bentley tied it to a new multi-year partnership with FAT International, using FAT Ice Race as the stage. The event blends motorsport exhibition, culture, and winter spectacle, and it gives brands room to be a bit weird in public, in a way a normal auto show often does not.
Bentley also plans to bring vehicles to the FAT Ice Race event in Big Sky, Montana, scheduled for late February, plus a 24-hour takeover at FAT Mankei in Austria later in the year. For U.S. fans, that Montana stop matters because it puts this whole concept exercise on American soil, closer to the actual luxury SUV customer base Bentley sells to.
At the same Zell am See gathering, Bentley showed an eclectic group from its broader orbit. That included a Supersports model wearing a one-off livery associated with Travis Pastrana, the Continental GTC S, and the Continental GT S, with the coupe set to run on the ice as a kind of global dynamic debut. Bentley also brought a standard Bentayga Speed and the Speed Six Continuation Series Car Zero from Mulliner, which is a very different kind of brand statement, rooted in heritage and craft rather than tire sidewalls.
On the ice, Bentley tied some recognizable names to the action: Chris Harris drove a Bentayga Speed in a Skijöring run while towing Norwegian freestyle skier Hedvig Wessel. French racing driver Laura Villars piloted the Continental GT S. Bentley Heritage Collection lead Mike Sayer drove the Speed Six Continuation. None of that changes what the concept is, but it shows how Bentley wants this partnership to look: high-culture luxury, mixed with enthusiast spectacle, and a pinch of motorsport theater.
What the 2026 Bentayga X Concept suggests, and the questions it leaves open
As a design and stance exercise, the 2026 Bentley Bentayga X Concept makes its point quickly. The widened track, increased ride height, real recovery hardware, and off-road tire spec create a Bentayga that looks less like a performance SUV pretending to be outdoorsy and more like something built around clearance and stability.
The skepticism comes from a quieter place: Bentley has not said what compromises it is willing to make if it ever turns this idea into a production variant. A taller, wider Bentayga with a roof load and auxiliary lighting looks the part, but a truly “more focused” off-road luxury SUV usually asks for decisions around weight, wheel size choices, underbody protection, and the packaging realities of approach and departure angles. The concept hints at the direction, but it does not spell out how deep Bentley wants to go.
Still, as a signal from Bentley, it is clear. The brand sees value in exploring an off-road-leaning Bentayga, and it chose a venue where that message reads as intentional rather than gimmicky.
A Bentley that wants a little more dirt under its tires
The 2026 Bentley Bentayga X Concept takes the Bentayga Speed’s 650 PS (641 hp) twin-turbo V8 and wraps it in a package that emphasizes clearance, width, and visual toughness: 22-inch forged wheels, high-profile off-road tires, a 120 mm wider track, a 55 mm lift, and over 550 mm of wading capability. Add roof storage, four spotlights, and an Akrapovic titanium exhaust, and the concept lands as both an off-road mood board and a brand exercise in how far luxury can lean into utility without losing its identity.
-Ed
2026 Bentley Bentayga X Concept
