Bentley Bentayga

Highly engineered luxury cars are now competing with handsomely appointed supercars and the defining lines between the two are fading fast. High Luxury and exceptional performance are found in a host of sedans and coupes for 2018, in an panoply of shapes and styles. When Bentley announced it was going to release an SUV a few years ago, to further their offerings in the luxury segment, a great deal of curiosity met with that announcement. Now a year later the Bentley Bentayga still sits on top as the “fastest and most powerful, most luxurious and most exclusive SUV in the world.” Bentley’s Bentayga is indeed a towering powerhouse of performance and style. With 600 hp, 664 lb-ft of torque, top speed of almost 200 mph, towing 7,700 pounds and the world’s first 48-volt automotive system and 90 separate ECUs processing 100 million lines of code the Bentayga is a true masterpiece. With luxurious appointments and signature design features from the Bentley brand, the Bentley Bentayga is still striking in profile and in the interior. From the front LED headlights that are flush to the surface of the front end, framing Bentley’s matrix grill to interior fine quilted leather upholstery every detail is well attended too. Our photo shoot Bentayga was outfitted with an optional style pack that added carbon-fiber body elements and accents to the overall design.

Bentayga’s power is a new 6.0-liter W12, think two V6s joined at the crank, with the ability to take the 5,400-pound Bentayga from 0 to 60 mph in about four seconds. In keeping with Bentley’s owners’ experience, new buyers can choose either four or five seats configurations.

One Year Later

With both configurations the included touch pad for rear climate and other adjustments can be removed from the back of the front console and held on the lap so there’s no need to lean forward to make adjustments.

Taking talegating to another lever the Bentley Bentayga also comes the Mulliner Hamper and three leather upholstered cubes, removable from the cargo space, for picnic seating.

One of the cubes is filled with Linley china, cutlery and crystal. Another cube is for the storage of dry goods and the third is refrigerated – just because it should be. When driving a Bentayga be prepared for an onslaught of drive-by cell phone photography. You may find yourself getting the best tables at Catch LA, BOA or Bagatella in NYC when you valet your car.

A Track Ready SUV

Why suffice in luxury when your driving needs require more room then a sedan? The Bentley Bentayga is designed to round out your garage with luxury, and performance, filling all your available parking spaces with the very best and now with Bentayga Mulliner created by Bentley’s in-house personal commissioning division, Mulliner, has applied its craftsmanship to the multi-award-winning Bentayga, creating a new flagship model and setting new standards in automotive luxury.

New interior and exterior features – including optional Duo Tone paintwork, unique 22” wheels, Mulliner Bottle Cooler and a new veneer concept complement the Bentayga’s sculptural, modern design. Bentley Bentayga.

Story By Josh Lewis. Photos By Mike Shaffer.