BENTLEY BENTAYGA
Bentley Motors has unveiled the updated Bentayga, which right off the bat has improved what has been and elegant, but not entirely attractive luxury SUV.
Two new colours are added to the already extensive Bentayga palette – Viridian, a dark shade of metallic green based on the colour of the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept car, and Patina – a luxury-focused mid-tone off-white.
“With new Bentayga, our objective was relatively straightforward – to take the best and make it even better. To do this, we listened closely to our existing Bentayga customers, then addressed their comments to ensure the new model offers an even more complete, all-round proposition.
“New Bentayga reflects the truly sophisticated qualities and design make-up of other members of the Bentley family, such as the new Continental GT and allnew Flying Spur. It was already the pinnacle of the luxury SUV sector but now we have taken it even higher,” says Chris Cole, Product Line Director for Bentayga.
CABIN
Bentley interiors have always been impressive and the Bentayga is no exception and sees even further upgrades to the bespoke cabin that includes new leather quilting on the seats, doors and a new steering and instrument cluster.
The dual centre round air vents have been replaced by a one-piece machined vent, located just above the new 10.9” infotainment screen. Overall, the cabin continues to be a sumptuous sanctuary for its occupants and the latest upgrades serve to heighten the already lofty premium levels.
Two levels of audio system are offered in new Bentayga. The Bentley Signature Audio is now fitted as standard, offering exceptional quality by delivering 590 W of power through 12 speakers. The optional Naim for Bentley system delivers 1,780 W of
power via no less than 20 speakers including active bass speakers under both front seats, with supertweeters located in each A and B-pillar for higher frequencies. Unmatched in the automotive sector, Naim for Bentley audio also offers eight listening modes, ranging from Digital Media to Classic. The Naim for Bentley speaker grilles are redesigned and now include an illuminated Naim badge.
Darren Day, Head of Interior Design at Bentley Motors, said: “The interior of Bentayga has always been highly admired for its exceptional build quality, relaxing atmosphere and luxurious ambience.
“Alongside from the more obvious changes to the centre console, seats and door trims, it’s the little features customers may not notice at first that add up to make the difference in new Bentayga. It might be the new, horizontal grab handle in the door, or the unique seat stitching – each one emphasising how the design team has gone the extra mile. New Bentayga will be a voyage of discovery for our customers.”
MOTIVATION
Powering the updated Bentayga will be the company’s renowned 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine producing 405 kW and 770 Nm through an 8-speed automatic gearbox. A plug-in hybrid variant will also join the line-up later this year, while the highperformance Speed version with its 6.0-litre twinturbo W12 powerplant will headline the range and boast a top speed 305 km/h.
LAST WORD
The updated Bentley Bentayga seems to have cleaned up its pinstripe suit with incremental yet welcomed updates to keep the model fresh among a raft of newer competitors. While pricing locally is yet to be announced, it is said that customers can expect around a 6% price hike compared to the outgoing model, which is not all that bad considering the additional standard specification on offer.