Bentayga: amiable SUV sanctuary
WHEN Bentley announced it would enter the superpremium luxury segment of the sport utility vehicle (SUV) market a few years ago, it was the beginning of a new era, a watershed moment for the company and a totally new direction in its 97-year history.
The Bentayga was launched this year in W12 form and has now been joined by a diesel variant, to be sold in mature diesel markets such as Australia, the UK and SA.
According to Bentley’s head of international marketing and communications Robin Peel the introduction of the diesel model would appeal to a slightly younger buyer entering the Bentley market, someone not entirely perturbed by veering slightly away from the traditional W12 engine heritage.
Purposeful in its design, the Bentayga is distinctively a Bentley with quad, circular headlights and that large mesh grille, while the side profile is accentuated by baroque rear flanks that are reminiscent of the Continental GT.
While it shares a platform with the current Audi Q7 and the nextgeneration Porsche Cayenne, there are few, if any, similarities in cabin appointments, making the Bentayga an amiable sanctuary for the discerning gentleman or lady.
From the quilted leather pews to the traditional organ-stop chrome vents, every item has been painstakingly crafted to attain congruence between one’s perceived and tactile quality of the materials used. Buyers can also choose from 15 veneers to suit their taste.
After many firsts for the company, the Bentayga will be available next year with a 4.0l, triple-charged diesel engine that puts out an impressive 320kW and 900Nm, the latter available from just 1 000r/min, essentially from idle if you will, which gives the vehicle effortless acceleration from any speed.
Another first for the model is the 48V electrical architecture, which has made it possible for it to feature a world-first 48V active anti-roll control system, which allows the electronics to compute and make suspension changes in milliseconds relative to the impending road conditions.
In fact, driving behind one of the models during the launch drive, I was intrigued at the resistance the vehicle has to body roll, a fact that was echoed by my spell at the helm while meandering through some mountain passes near the town of Rhonda.
What the 48V architecture also brings to the table is the ability to power the 7kW electronic turbo compressor, which allows for maximum torque to be available from idle and duly obliterates turbo lag. The electric compressor disengages between 2 000 and 2 700r/min when the sequential bi-turbo set-up takes over the reins above those revs.
In practice, it is impressively imperceptible and all you get at any given point in the rev range is the buttery, creamy spread of torque at your disposal. Diesel refinement, in my books, has been redefined. types of