On figures alone the Bentley Bentayga blows you away – 600bhp, 900nm of torque, just over two tons in weight and an astonishing 0-100kmh time of a fraction over four seconds.
It’s fair to say that the Bentayga is a head-turner and it needs to be because Bentley have spent an absolute mountain of cash on developing what they say is the most exclusive, fastest and most luxurious SUV on the planet.
And having driven it I can say that they have more than put their money where their mouth is – this vehicle certainly lives up to all expectations… although it wasn’t exactly love at first sight.
In my humble opinion, and many may disagree with me, for something so extraordinary it looks a bit too ordinary and I think it lacks immediate impact. The front is classic Bentley with the signature matrix grille and the side is elegant and athletic.
The wheels are cool, but the rear, whilst being muscular, is just a bit too much understated for my liking. Bentley will tell you that they deliberately designed the vehicle for people who don’t want to shout about their wealth and so the Bentayga has a more subtle, refined look rather than something that is in your face and obviously ostentatious.
To be fair, our test drive car did not have the optional face-changing extra chrome mesh on the front valance and when I was shown that on another Bentayga it was a transformation and gave the vehicle the presence it deserves so it’s a must-have. I would also urge those lucky enough to be able to afford this SUV to be particularly careful with colour choice – and there are plenty to choose from – because, again it makes a significant difference to the Bentayga’s personality.
So, while the design initially left me a little cold the interior is an entirely different story – it really is quite sumptuous with fantastic diamond quilted leather seats, acres of space, panoramic sunroof and the sort of comfort you usually find in a five-star hotel.
Although the cabin retains a very traditional Bentley feel it has been expertly modernised to give a sharper more sportier feel with a lovely new steering wheel, a cutting edge instrument cluster which manages to retain its old school feel, a new 8-inch infotainment screen and enough hand-crafted trim options to keep you occupied for several weeks before you decide which one you want to give your Bentayga that personal touch.
Five star luxury.
Attention to detail is amazing and the interior design is faultless, from the materials used to the craftsmanship involved. Everything about the cockpit is intuitive and sitting in it certainly makes you feel more than a bit special.
Apart from the high-level of comfort the real joy of the Bentayga is its performance which is breathtaking. The power comes from a brand new 6-litre W12 engine which packs one almighty punch which I touched upon earlier. For a vehicle that weighs 2,422kg to reach 100kmh from a standing start in 4.1 seconds is gobsmacking and it does so with little effort and if you keep your foot in you will charge to a top speed of 301kmh. The power, delivered to all four wheels via an excellent eight-speed automatic gearbox with paddle-shifts, really does seem to be endless.
Because of its size, there is a bit of body roll going through corners at any sort of pace but not as much as I expected thanks to the brilliant chassis, the Bentley Dynamic Ride system and the multi-mode air-suspension which ensures maximum stability and comfort.
It is another landmark offering from Bentley.
Talking of which, the back seats, are amongst the most comfortable in the business and rear passengers can have their own Bentley Entertainment Tablet – a removable 1.02-inch android device giving them instant connectivity.
There are eight drive modes; Sport, Bentley, Comfort and Custom for driving on normal roads and four settings for off-roading. This vehicle is clearly equipped to tackle more challenging terrain but the fear of damaging such an expensive and classy vehicle would keep me firmly on tarmac.
As you might expect all this modern British luxury, engineering expertise and build quality doesn’t come cheap. The starting price is Dh995,000 but once you have specced it up you are more likely to be looking at a bill of around Dh1.4m and if you can afford one of these then it is worth spending the extra money to get it fully loaded.
More than 300 Bentaygas have already been sold in the UAE which, tells you all you need to know about how good this vehicle is. It truly sets a new benchmark and redefines luxury SUVs.
