Sit back in first class
WHEN it comes to cars, the driver is often prioritised. How does the vehicle handle? How fast does it go? Manual or automatic? There are endless questions. But the new Bentley Bentayga Extended Wheelbase (EWB) turns this idea on its head, as this four-seater British-built 4x4 is designed to pamper chauffeured passengers in the back — evoking the luxury of first-class air travel.
This comes as the brand this week celebrated record sales of 15,174 cars in 2022 (exceeding 15,000 for the first time). Riding on 22 in, 10in-spoke wheels, the car is stretched by an extra 7 in compared to the standard Bentayga wheelbase — all of it added to the rear cabin area.
Little effort is needed, even to get in: rear doors open automatically at the push of a button.
Bentley says its two reclining rear airline- style seats are the most advanced ever fitted to a car, with 22 modes of adjustment and posture massages. You can set your seat manually or choose one of three set configurations.
Footrests deploy electronically from behind the front passenger seats and there are smart folddown veneered picnic tables.
My variant even had a rear console between the two rear seats housing a bottle cooler for champagne, plus two hand- crafted Cumbria Crystal flutes.
A ski hatch to the boot between the two rear seats is just the job should you be heading down to the Alps for the season.
Willing family guinea pigs tried out the experience in motion while I played chauffeur. And from them it was a smug thumbs up all round.
Driving it is fun and engaging too. Powered by a 542 hp 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine linked to an eight-speed automatic gearbox, it accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds and up to 100 mph, where legal, in 10 seconds, with a top speed of 180 mph.
It’s smooth in comfort mode, more engaging in default Bentley mode, and has plenty of oomph in sport mode. Electronic allwheel steering eats corners.
But fly first class and you’ll pay prices to match — in this case an eye-watering £211,300, including £32,000 of extras.