Bentley Bentayga, the first SUV from the British marque

A development programme that has taken two years of intense work by Bentley to get its first SUV ready, the Bentayga. The Bentley EXP 9 F concept was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2013 and already hinted that the British firm was working on what would be the first crossover to wear its badge on the bonnet. Since then, a long and intense wait, fed by camouflaged images and teaser videos, has kept us informed of most of the progress.

The Bentley Bentayga has followed in the footsteps of the EXP 9 F concept, although it has adopted a new front end that comes close to the style of the Continental GT and the Flying Spur. The sporty bumper gives it presence, and the Bentley style grille with its twin headlights leaves no doubt as to its lineage. The side view presents a muscular body, with very pronounced overhangs and a raised waistline at the rear to lend strength to the design.

The alloy wheels range from 20 to 22 inches, at the buyer’s choice. At the rear we find a very clean design, with a sloping glass section above a small integrated spoiler on the tailgate. The oval exhaust outlets are housed by a subtle diffuser. Chrome details are present on the bumpers, the lower part of the doors, the window frames and the side air intake. Although its exterior design may give the impression of a heavy vehicle, its aluminium construction has achieved a reduction of 236 kilograms compared with a traditional steel construction.

The interior is much more traditional and rooted in the values of the British marque. It features wood inserts, first-class leather, aluminium metal details, an infotainment system controlled by an eight-inch screen, and front seats adjustable in 22 different positions with heating, ventilation and massage functions. The Bentayga also has a panoramic roof split into two halves. The front panel tilts and slides, while the rear one is fixed. Should the sun shine in too strongly, the glass can be darkened by an electric roller blind.

In addition, Bentley will also offer the Bentayga in a four-seat configuration, which means the individual rear seats will also have 18 different adjustment positions, as well as heating, ventilation, a massage function and an integrated footrest. The two seats will be separated by a central console with cup holders, storage compartments and USB charging ports.

Among the equipment options for the Bentley Bentayga, the Naim premium sound system stands out for Bentley, with an output of 1,950 watts, and the Bentley Entertainment Tablets system, which includes two 10.2-inch tablets running Android with 4G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

As far as mechanics are concerned, there have been many rumours about which engine would power the new Bentayga, with some even speculating that a diesel option would be offered. In the end, emotion has won over reason, and the manufacturer belonging to the Volkswagen Group has fitted the 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 unit delivering 608 CV and 900 Nm of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive, a combination that allows it to go from zero to 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds before reaching a top speed of 301 km/h. Consumption is 12.8 litres per 100 kilometres on average on the combined cycle.

Source | Bentley

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverBentley Bentayga12 versions · from 216,580 €