What images does the name Bentley conjure up? The infamous Bentley Boys of the twenties racing down to the Riviera? A more sporting alternative to Rolls Royce? Motorsport heritage and Le Mans victories? Or a diesel SUV?
I’m guessing it probably isn’t the latter. However, like it or not, manufacturers are increasingly having to tailor their product line ups to meet the wants (not necessarily the needs) of what customers deem desirable. Porsche did it with the Cayenne, Land Rover recently gave us a convertible Evoque, and the German manufacturers constantly seem to be launching less practical ‘coupe’ versions of saloon cars, followed by saloon derivatives of hatchbacks. The one thing they all have in common? They sell. And this is already proving to the case with Bentley’s first SUV, the Bentayga, with initial sales projections having already being exceeded.
If the fact that Bentley now sells an SUV wasn’t enough to cause a bit of controversy then its looks are, so let’s get that out of the way first… It’s fair to say that the motoring press haven’t been completely enamoured with the Bentayga’s styling which certainly divides opinion and I suspect will prove to be very spec sensitive (more on that later). What it does do is stand out from the sea of ubiquitous Range Rovers. Whether you consider that a good thing or not is personal preference. Challenging looks don’t necessarily impact sales though, with the Cayenne being a good case in point. When launched it wasn’t exactly bestowed with design awards, but it’s been a consistently stronger seller.
As events go, a day with Bentley Glasgow driving the Bentayga ticked a lot of boxes. Luxury manufacturer with oodles of heritage, great hospitality, superb scenery and fantastic weather. Arriving at the recently refurbished Crossbasket Castle in Blantyre (which is rather lovely by the way), a brace of Bentayga’s were lined up outside and ready to go. I mentioned earlier about it being sensitive to choice of specification and ‘our’ car was a case in point. Adored with pearlescent white paint, 22″ inch chrome wheels, two tone leather interior and various carbon fibre and chrome additions – to me it looked more P Diddy, than landed gentry. However, style is of course subjective, and a more subtle paint/wheel combination and black grills etc would go a long way to making it easier on the eye.
What you can’t dispute is the quality – which is simply superb. All the materials are top notch. The trademark Bentley interior touches are all present and correct. Leather (a step up from the average cow clad cabin), quality wood, thick carpets and knurled metal organ stops for the air vents. Lovely stuff. Complementing this is an array of technology and toys. A selection of drive modes for both on & off road; height adjustable air suspension; heated, cooled and massaging seats; all round park assist cameras; TV; adaptive cruise control; lane assist; and a Naim hi-fi (easily the best car stereo I’ve heard). It’s a very nice place to be.
Besides the styling, the other contentious factor with this particularly Bentayga is its engine… which is a diesel. Yep, a diesel Bentley. However, from inside the car you’d be pushed to tell, so good is the sound deadening and refinement levels. The 4.0 litre V8 is ‘triple’ charged. Two traditional turbo chargers sit in between the cylinder banks, while a third, electric compressor is used to provide boost at lower engine speeds. The result is 429 bhp at 3750 rpm, and 665 lb ft torque (over 900 Nm!) available from an incredible 1000 rpm. 0-62 takes 4.8 seconds, it tops out at 168 mph, despite having approx. 2.5 tons to lug around. The Bentayga is properly fast.
Once underway, for a big car, it’s easy to drive. Visibility is good, both forwards thanks to the lofty seating position, and to the side/rear with no significant blind spots. Torque is huge and delivered in a simply effortless manner. The dash is little cluttered, but you soon get used to glancing at the head up display rather than using the main dials.
Heading up past Loch Lomond, we have the obligatory photo stop at The Rest And Be Thankful before continuing onto the impressive Portavadie Marina, with Argyll and Bute providing a stunning backdrop all the way. The Bentayga is proving itself to be a fantastic way to make swift progress in total relaxation. Despite not being the type of car which you’d naturally drive in an ‘enthusiastic’ manner, the big Bentley doesn’t object if you choose to do so, and when the need arises overtakes are of little concern.
After lunch, it’s time for some mild off-roading, with a local forest track providing an opportunity to see how the Bentayga copes away from the tarmac. Yes, admittedly it wasn’t exactly the Camel Trophy but was probably as far as the average owner is likely to stray away from the black stuff. Never the less, it was probably the most comfortable way of negotiating a dirt track I can imagine and I suspect its equally capable of some more serious off-roading if required.
It’s an impressive thing the Bentayga, and worthy of the Bentley badge. What it isn’t, is particularly engaging to drive. But being designed for quick, cossetting all weather travel, rather than attacking your favourite B road, it is probably unfair to expect sports car dynamics.
Prices start at £135K but as with a lot of premium marques nowadays, you need to show some restraint when using the car configurator. Get carried away with the options list and you’ll see that price spiral towards £200K without too much trouble. £20K picnic set anyone? Whether it’s worth the price premium over something like a Range Rover Autobiography is subjective but the higher levels of exclusivity that the Bentayga offers will no doubt be a major factor for the Bentley clientele.
Just spec it up carefully.
PRICE: £135,800 (as tested £211,673)
ENGINE: 4.0 litre V8, twin turbocharged diesel with e-compressor
POWER: 429 bhp
TORQUE: 664 lb ft @ 1000 rpm
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 168 mph, 0-62 mph 4.8 secs
CONSUMPTION: 35.8 mpg (combined)
CO2: 210 g/km
TT Rating:
