The Bentley Bentayga is a full-size luxury SUV and the first car of a "similar format" in the history of the British automaker, which embodies "noble design, an unrivaled level of luxury (both on and off the highway), progressive technical component and outstanding dynamics ”. Its target audience is rich people who want to get a high-quality "iron horse", which is suitable for everyday use, but, if necessary, allows you to go both off-road and on the high-speed track ...
The world debut of the crossover "thundered" in September 2015 - on the catwalks of the International Frankfurt Auto Show, while its conceptual forerunner called "EXP 9 F" was presented back in March 2012 - at a bride in Geneva.
The fastest and most expensive production SUV in the world, this five-door is the signature of the British brand and the proportions of SUVs.
At the end of June 2020, a restyled crossover appeared in front of the world audience during a virtual presentation, and a month later its production began at a plant in Crewe, but the car “reached” the Russian market only in mid-March 2021. All the changes that happened to the car mostly affected the exterior and interior: the "Briton" got a tweaked "physiognomy" and overhauled stern, received a seriously updated interior decoration, and also "armed" with new options. Technical metamorphosis did not occur, except that only the turbodiesel was excluded from the power range.
Outwardly, the Bentayga is perceived as modern and monumental, but somewhat ponderous, but that it is Bentley - no one will doubt it.
The front crossover impresses with its nobility, flaunting four LED "round" optics, an impressive "shield" of the radiator grille and a powerful bumper, and from the rear it attracts the eye with graceful lanterns with chrome edging, a "puffy" bumper and two oval tailpipes of the exhaust system.
In profile, the car looks presentable and balanced, and off-roadness in its appearance is extolled by huge flourishes of wheel arches, inflated "hips" and a massive rear roof pillar.
Size and weight
In terms of its dimensions, the Bentayga is a full-size SUV: it is 5141 mm long, 1998 mm wide, and does not exceed 1742 mm in height. The wheelbase of the five-door extends to 2995 mm, and its ground clearance in normal condition is 220 mm (but thanks to the air suspension it can vary from 155 to 245 mm).
The curb weight of the "Briton" varies from 2388 to 2499 kg (depending on the modification).
Interior
Inside the Bentley Bentayga there is an atmosphere of luxury and comfort, in which there are no-no, yes, there are elements from the related Audi Q7 (but in general, this does not spoil the experience of it).
The driver's workplace features a stylish multifunctional steering wheel with a "chubby" rim and fully virtual instruments, while the front panel with a branded "wing-span" in the center is crowned with a 10.9-inch media center screen and an intuitive, but devoid of gloss "microclimate" unit.
The interior of the crossover is made with jewelry precision exclusively from noble materials: high-quality leather, natural wood of various breeds, metal, etc.
By default, the interior of a full-size SUV has a five-seat layout: in the front seats there are seats with adjustable lateral support (both at the cushion and at the back), optimal filler rigidity, numerous electric adjustments, heating, massage and ventilation, and in the rear there is a full-fledged three-seat sofa with adjustable manual backrest angle.
As an option, the car can be equipped with two separate seats in the second row with a servo drive and a massager, as well as a two-seater "gallery" that can even accommodate adults (albeit on short trips).
With a five-seat layout, the Bentaygi trunk is capable of absorbing from 484 to 1774 liters of luggage (however, the rear sofa does not form a completely flat area when folded down).
In the four-seater version, the cargo compartment is smaller - 431 liters (besides, it is impossible to "increase" this volume). Well, with seven riders on board in the rear, the five-door has a 215-liter "hold".
Specifications
In the Russian market, the Bentley Bentayga is offered with two powerplant options:
- The basic petrol version is equipped with an eight-cylinder engine with a displacement of 4.0 liters with a V-shaped structure, twin turbocharging of the Twin-Scroll type, direct "power" technology, a variable valve timing mechanism and a 32-valve timing, which generates 550 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 770 Nm of torque at 1960-4500 rpm.
- "Top" crossover "flaunts" a petrol 6.0-liter W12 engine with a pair of twin-scroll turbochargers, combined injection, phase shifters at the inlet and outlet and a system of half-cylinder deactivation at partial loads, producing 635 hp. at 5000-5750 rpm and 900 Nm of available potential at 1500-5000 rpm.
All units are combined with an 8-band (reinforced) "automatic" ZF and an all-wheel drive transmission with an asymmetrical limited-slip differential and free cross-axle differentials (ESP struggles with unwanted wheel slippage using the brakes). By default, power is distributed in a 40:60 ratio, but if necessary, the Torsen can send up to 65% of the thrust to the front axle, and up to 85% to the rear wheels.
It is worth noting that before the restyling of 2020, the off-road vehicle was also "armed" with a 4.0-liter V8 diesel engine, developing 435 hp. at 3750-5000 rpm and 900 Nm of torque at 1000-3250 rpm.
Dynamics, speed and consumption
From zero to 100 km / h, a full-size crossover "shoots" in 3.9 ~ 4.5 seconds, and the limit of its capabilities falls on 290 ~ 306 km / h (depending on the version).
For every "hundred" mileage in the combined cycle, the car requires an average of 13.1 to 14.3 liters of fuel, depending on the version.
Design features
At the heart of the Bentley Bentayga is the modernized modular MLB "bogie", familiar from many models of the "Volkswagen AG" concern, implying a longitudinal arrangement of the engine. The body structure of the off-road vehicle is 60% made of "winged metal", and 40% of high-strength types of steel (all the outer panels are aluminum).
By default, the car is equipped with independent suspensions with pneumatic elements, adaptive shock absorbers and lateral stabilizers "in a circle": at the front - a double-lever, at the rear - a multi-link.
For a surcharge for the five-door, you can order electric anti-roll bars to resist body roll while maintaining good contact with the road and the level of comfort.
The luxury SUV has in its arsenal a rack and pinion steering mechanism, which is "implanted" with an electric amplifier with a variable gear ratio, and a powerful braking system with ventilated discs on all wheels, ABS, EBD and a huge number of other modern bells and whistles.
Carbon-ceramic brakes with ten-piston front and six-piston rear calipers (pancake diameters - 440 mm and 370 mm, respectively) are optionally offered for the five-door.
Options and prices
In the Russian market, the updated Bentley Bentayga in 2021 costs at least 17 420 000 rubles - this is how much dealers ask for a "basic" crossover with a V8 engine, while a Speed modification with a W12 engine will cost from 22 990 000 rubles.
The "base" of the premium crossover has: front and side airbags, 22-inch alloy wheels, full LED optics, a virtual instrument cluster, an electric boot lid, a media system with a 10.9-inch screen, a high-end audio system, a panoramic roof, heated front and rear seats, keyless entry and engine start, leather interior trim, multi-zone climate control and much more.
In addition, a large number of additional options are offered for the car, as well as ample customization options.
