Bentley have made an SUV, and not just any SUV. The Bentayga. Then the world’s fastest and most powerful production SUV. We went for a spin in the latest Bentley that chose to go against convention. Is it still every bit a Bentley?
Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Aditya Dhiwar and Bentley Motors
The sky is turning dark. What was a natural source of light is dimming gradually. Time, then, to make the shift to another source. As dusk begins to take shape, a powerful form takes over. Several, in fact, have thought along similar lines. The world is turning. Perceptions are changing. Bentley have made an SUV.
The automotive world has, of late, seen more people take to SUVs of all kind. Not surprisingly, leading car manufacturers also began reviewing their approach. Some launched several new car lines, offering a solution for every budget. But what of the higher order? Luxury need not be constrained to one form. It could also have a larger, more formidable one to take on an ever-changing world. And that’s what happened.
The Bentayga is the latest Bentley. Its name comes from a rock mountain in the Grand Canary, yes, but there’s also an element of the Taiga region, or so some say. It still has a brilliant — and all-new — W12 TSI heart with 608 hp and 900 Nm. It still has an eight-speed automatic transmission with all-wheel drive. It can be highly personalized. It is still extremely refined and plush and provides a cosseting ride. But, more importantly, it’s higher off the ground and has a new body style.
The front end is familiar — deviating from the EXP 9 F Concept shown some time ago — because it’s akin to the Continental’s. A large front grille with the added ride height gives it a dominant stance. The big change, though, is the way the lines flow aft of the doors. The roof-line continues and ends in a boxier rear silhouette with higher haunches. This one is different. Larger 21-inch wheels can be specified, wrapped in Pirelli’s finest. The car we had here was equipped with numerous options, and carbon-fibre exterior trim was among the most prominent. The front splitter, B-shaped louvres below the shoulder, the side-steps, the rear diffuser, even the rear spoiler surround are made from carbon-fibre.
A choice of specification is available, of course, each tailoring the car to focus a bit more on a specific application: city, touring or all-terrain. Features can be individually combined as well to suit any need. Of course, they come at a price. The starting price of the Bentayga W12 TSI, being imported as a completely built-up unit (CBU), is Rs 3.85 crore (base ex-showroom, in 2016), but the car we drove had options costing an additional Rs 1 crore and commanded an on-road price of Rs 5.5 crore. That seems like a lot. And it is. But what do you truly get for that princely sum?
Refinement in the Bentayga matches the best that have rolled out of Crewe. The interior this car was equipped with was the four-seat comfort spec with rear centre console, split upholstery in Magnolia and Tan, Burr Walnut wood trim, and lambs-wool carpet mats, among other specifically chosen elements. Needless to say, the cabin isolates you into a world of your own. There are numerous additions which you can specify as per your whim and fancy and Bentley will deliver.
