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HE BENTLEY BENTAYGA IS (ALMOST) all the SUV you would ever need. It’s luxurious, can be had with up to seven seats and with a W12 under the hood, it’s also one of the fastest SUVs in the world. The company recently made the 20,000th Bentayga, in just over four years. That’s approximately 13 Bentaygas sold every single day. So Bentley isn’t exactly having a hard time selling the Bentayga. So why mess with it? The solution thus is simple – make it even better. And while it is easy to think that this update is merely one to give the Bentayga more technology, if you look closely enough, you’ll realise that Bentley has done more than that. They’ve taken the time to fine tune almost every little ingredient that makes the Bentayga so popular.
Let’s talk about the big changes first. On the outside, the Bentayga now gets new LED matrix headlights that are elliptical and placed higher up to make the front end more imposing. The headlights feature 82 individual
LEDs which can block out their beams to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic. There’s a larger grille which sits more upright, allowing the bonnet to be straighter till the shut line, giving it a more squared-off look. The rear-end gets elliptical taillights with an intricate lattice pattern, similar to the ones on the Continental GT. The new taillights sit within the tailgate, since that now runs the full width of the car. The exhaust pipes mimic the shape of the taillights and are more prominent. There are a set of new 22-inch wheels on offer that fill out the arches better. The rear track has been increased by 20mm to give it more stability and a wider stance.
While the new additions to the exterior add even more bling to the Bentayga, the Blackline specification can be optioned to replace all exterior chrome elements with black ones. The new Bentayga looks more butch, modern and purposeful. So, while the outgoing model split opinions on its styling, this new one should please many. Not that it needs to.
On the inside, the centre console has been reworked, the round air vents having been replaced by an elongated single-piece unit and a Breitling mechanical clock sitting proudly between them. The Bentayga also gets new seat frames in the five-seat configuration, doubling the recline angle and with the option of rear-seat ventilation, previously only available on the four-seat configuration. The four-seat and seven-seat configurations get new seats too, which are more sculpted to improve comfort. In the four seat configuration, there is now 30mm more knee-room in the upright position, and almost 100mm more when reclined.
Technology upgrades include a new 10.9-inch central display that gets wireless Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto for the first time. The display is not only bigger, but brighter too, and gets an anti-glare and anti-reflection coating. It also supports a split-screen mode wherein users can choose upto three different sections at the same
WHILE THE OUTGOING BENTAYGA SPLIT OPINIONS ON ITS
STYLING, THIS NEW ONE SHOULD
PLEASE MANY
time. There is also a new digital instrument cluster, head-up display, wireless charging and plethora of USB Type-C ports. The touchscreen control tablet for the rear seat passengers is also larger, now measuring 5 inches, and has more functionality. The My Bentley suite of connected car features has been expanded and now works via an on-board SIM card. The Bentayga’s audio system gets an upgrade too, now fitted standard with a 12-speaker 590 watt system, upgradeable to an astounding 20-speaker 1780 watt system by Naim. This includes active bass speakers under the front seats and ‘super-tweeters’ placed in the A- and B-pillars for clearer high frequency sound, so you can listen to your mixtape in unmatched quality.
Under the hood, the new Bentayga retains the same four-litre twin-turbo V8 as before, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, producing 542bhp and 770Nm of torque. This allows the Bentayga to sprint to 100kmph in just 4.5 seconds. For the eco-conscious, a hybrid model will follow, probably with the same three-litre V6 and electric motor as the outgoing model. And for those that have their own personal oil rigs, a
THE SPEED MODEL WILL FOLLOW WITH A SIX-LITRE TURBOCHARGED W12
performance-oriented Speed model will be coming soon too, with a six-litre turbocharged W12 engine. The Bentayga’s 48-volt active anti-roll system and Bentley Dynamic Ride, has been improved too, thanks to the wider rear track, requiring less steering input, while improving its linearity.
While these are the major changes to the Bentayga, the company has gone much more than skin deep, to better the Bentayga in almost every single way. It gets new wipers, with 22 integrated nozzles in each arm that throw heated water for better cleaning. The placement of the number plate has been moved lower to make the rear-end look cleaner, the steering wheel has been updated and even the door trims and grab handles have been reworked. That’s not all though, there is an all-new ‘dark tint diamond brushed aluminium’ veneer for the interior exclusively developed for the new Bentayga, as well as multiple new options for stitching, a new quilting pattern for cars optioned with the Mulliner Driving Specification and two new options for wood inlays available for owners to choose from. Two new exterior colours have also been added to the already extensive palette — Viridian and Patina.
They really have looked at everything and said, “How can we make it better?”. That truly sums up the new Bentayga. It shows what attention to detail Bentley brings to the table and why they charge such a premium over others. The devil truly is in the detail.
SPECIFICATION
Engine V8, 3996cc, twin-turbo Transmission 8-speed auto Power 542bhp @ 6000rpm Torque 770Nm @ 2960-4500rpm Weight 2416kg (five-seater) Power-to-weight 224bhp/ton
0-100kmph 4.5sec
Top speed 290kmph
Price `4.5 crore (estimated, without options)