All-New Bentley SUV: 0-60 in 4.0 Seconds, Named After a Tax Haven

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2015 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by George Kennedy

 

It’s finally here, folks. We had known about that a Bentley SUV was on the way for years, but the wraps finally come off the stunning, if not awkwardly named, 2017 Bentley Bentayga, and here’s what we know, so far.

 

Let’s talk about the styling first, which is extremely fetching, and is mercifully conservative compared to the wide-eyed EXP 9 F concept that Bentley had been brandishing about the auto show circuit for months.

 If anything, the large headlights and upright grille found their way to the Mulsanne flagship sedan. We’re very happy to see the styling cues borrow more heavily from the Continental GT Speed.

Under the hood, you’ll find Bentley’s 6.0-liter W12 engine—an indicator of British motoring company’s parent company, the engineering-heavy Volkswagen. It makes 600 horsepower and 663 lb-ft of torque, and will get the 5,340-pound SUV from zero to sixty in just 4.0 seconds. Combined with a top speed of 187 mph, Bentley claims the Bentayga is, “…the world’s most powerful and fastest SUV.”

 

 

Inside, the cabin is lavish, with the classic opulence you’d expect from Bentley. It is home to a high-tech instrument panel for the driver, including a head-up display and full digital instrument panel.

 At the driver’s disposal is some serious tech, including a self-leveling air suspension with settings for on- and off-road performance, adaptive cruise control that senses curves in the road and changes speed accordingly, and even a traffic sign recognition system. That’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Oh, and about that name, it’s not made up. Bentayga is the name of a small mountain range in the Canary Islands, which is a tax haven for the super-rich. Bentley did their homework.

The Bentayga will be in attendance at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Sept 15 to 27. Deliveries of the all-new luxury SUV will start in early 2016.