Bentley Bentayga: The Ultra-Luxury SUV
It would be a jaw dropping sight to see a six-figure, ultra-luxury SUV with night-vision, a 6.0-liter W12 engine and a Bentley badge roaming the two destinations which bear direct influence on its name: the Roque Bentayga and the Taiga. The new Bentley Bentayga not only draws inspiration from these picturesque landscapes, it aims to conquer them as well. Like the upcoming Jaguar F-Pace, the Bentayga has been tested in harsh environments ranging from the Scandinavian Arctic to South Africa. Though it’s unlikely the new Bentley will ever see such treacherous terrain, having the ability to go off-roading while keeping its occupants nestled inside a cocoon of luxury is a selling point that manufacturers joining the luxury SUV parade seem keen on emphasizing lately – Bentley’s R&D department included.
Photo Credit: Car and Driver
The Bentayga will eventually be available with three powertrain options as confirmed by Bentley chairman and CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer with Autocar UK: A W12, a V8 and a plug-in hybrid. Those opting for the W12 TSI will have at their disposal six liters of displacement and two turbochargers capable of producing 600-hp and 664-lb ft of torque. Official power figures have yet to be released for the Bentayga, so certainly the Bentley SUV’s W12 could output more than 600-hp – which may prove necessary in meeting its top speed goal of at least 170mph.
Press releases from Bentley and pre-production test rides from Autocar UK Senior Contributing Editor Richard Bremner reveal that the Bentayga rides on air suspension, has four ride-height settings and features an electronic anti-roll system designed to minimize the boat-like undulations that plague heavier luxury vehicles and SUVs. Recently released preview videos (available on YouTube or bentayga.bentleymotors.com) of the Bentayga reveal the vehicle’s interior will feature a touch-sensitive rotary driving mode selector, in the center of which resides an engine start/stop button. Also visible in the video are a heads-up display and an advanced night-vision assistance system.
SUV proportions allow the Bentley Bentayga for sale to be configured with three different major seating configurations, which means even at triple digit speeds on the Autobahn or traversing sand dunes in Dubai, the driver and passengers can all enjoy the plush accommodations of the vehicle’s interior, each with their own individual chairs. (Sorry, I know that sounds like a press release). The two other configurations are: five seats with a folding backrest or a “five-seats-plus-two” layout with the “plus-two” for occasional use only.
Whichever way the new rich in emerging markets like Russia and China want their luxury SUV’s configured, brands like Bentley, Jaguar and even Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce have little alternative but to go against tradition and produce them – the demand is just too great and the profit margins are there. Even with the SUV market experiencing the tremendous growth it is, the boys from Crewe have their work cut out for them as they have to produce what the world’s elite perceive as the “world’s most luxurious SUV.” Beginning in 2016, those with $200,000 to spend on a Bentley for sale can see if the Bentayga delivers on that promise. A tall order, but if there’s anyone who can meet it, it surely is the British luxury automaker who have been producing some of the world’s finest hand-built automobiles for nearly a century.
Bentley Bentayga: 5 Things You Need To Know
