Luxury on wheels

It is not surprising that among the impressive collection of exotic cars found on our island, we also have a Bentley Bentayga. When I came across an old friend who had told me that he had recently bought one, I very willingly accepted his kind offer to try it.

Bentley Bentayga combines unparalleled luxury with effortless performance and ease of use. When launched in September 2015, with a brand new W12 powertrain, Bentley claimed that it was the fastest, most powerful, most luxurious and most exclusive SUV in the world.

The Bentayga offers a true Bentley driving experience and features innovative technology features. Designed, crafted and handcrafted in Crewe, UK, Bentayga's style is pure Bentley. Sculptural with an elegant and timeless execution, it balances athleticism with confidence. With four round LED headlamps and a large matrix grille, distinctive lines of force and muscular hips, Bentley's DNA is everywhere.

The Bentayga has the most refined car cabin in the world, with unparalleled precision. The details in metal, wood and leather, including the meticulous tolerances between the trim elements, are the epitome of modern British luxury. A brand new 6.0-liter twin turbocharged W12 engine is at the heart of the new Bentayga. The powerful 12-cylinder engine combines efficiency and refinement at extremely luxurious power and torque levels. With 600 hp and 900 Nm providing a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 187 km / h or 301 km / h, the Bentayga still holds the title of the most powerful SUV and the most fast in the world.

The Bentayga diesel, on the other hand, is the first diesel model in Bentley's history. This all-new, state-of-the-art 4.0-liter 4.0-liter 4.0-liter V8 engine develops 429 horsepower and 900 Nm of torque, the diesel reaches a top speed of 270 km / h and can accelerate from 0 to 60 km / h with equal speed. impressive 4.6 seconds.

Bentayga's wheel arches, wings and hood provide a balance of sportiness and SUV presence. Bentley's ultra-sharp line of force and muscular rear stud feature a tight tension in the side profile, as part of the world's largest one-piece aluminum baler. The Bentley brand features such as the large die-cast grille and B-shaped vents give the Bentayga a modern, dynamic look. The grille is flanked by four floating headlights. The headlights are aligned in seamless front wings made of superformed aluminum. Innovative design features, such as the unobtrusive headlamps in the center of the exterior lamp body color, demonstrate remarkable attention to detail. At the rear, inside the segmented taillights, a new B-shaped lighting graphic is incorporated which offers the Bentayga a striking and instantly recognizable night signature.

Enter the Bentayga and you will find one of the finest automotive interiors in the world, with its handcrafted wood and leather, precision engineered to deliver absolute perfection. The attention to detail in metal, wood and leather is the epitome of modern British luxury and is only achievable thanks to the exceptional skill of Crewe's workforce. .

The Bentayga's cockpit sets new standards in terms of luxury and precision, with meticulous tolerances between precious woods and metal elements. The dashboard is inspired by the iconic design of the Bentley wing. The superbly finished surfaces flow gracefully from door to door on top of the instrument 's cockpits, under the center console and at the rear around the passenger' s fascia and foot.

Highly polished and hand-crafted metal elements adorn the dashboard, center console and doors. The trademark Bentley knurled on the driving mode selector, shift knob, iconic ventilation holes and organ prints adds sophistication and tactile refinement. The sumptuous front seats, individually crafted in Crewe and with 22-way adjustment, with adjustable cushion and back padding, provide optimal support and comfort in all conditions. This comfortable feeling is enhanced by a six-program massage system, seat heating and ventilation. The car can be specified as four, five or seven places.

Sculptural with an elegant and timeless execution, it balances athleticism with confidence

A series of state-of-the-art driver assistance systems and infotainment features designed to enhance safety, comfort and convenience make the Bentayga an innovative, advanced and connected luxury SUV. It offers the widest range of on-road and off-road driving settings for any vehicle, via Bentley's dynamic driving mode and optional responsive off-road setting. Up to eight modes are available, allowing drivers, in one wheel turn, to select the perfect dynamic configuration for all surface and road conditions.

Predictive adaptive cruise control uses navigation data, sensors, and cameras to predict upcoming turns, city limits, and speed limit changes. It can then change the speed of the vehicle accordingly, improving comfort and fuel consumption. Rear Pass Traffic Alert, which uses radar technology to detect level crossing traffic when a vehicle turns backwards, a system that uses four cameras to display an overall picture of the vehicle environment. 'associates to improve everyday conviviality.

Other innovative systems available on the Bentayga include electronic night vision, which uses infrared technology to identify potential future obstacles, and a head-up display, which reduces driver distraction and increases safety. Bentayga's brand-new, eight-inch touch-screen infotainment system features state-of-the-art navigation technology, a 60GB hard drive, and a choice of 30 languages. Rear passengers benefit from the introduction of the Bentley entertainment tablet, a removable 10.2-inch Android device with 4G, WiFi and Bluetooth, for fast, high-speed embedded connectivity. Customers can choose from three different Bentayga sound systems: Bentley Standard Audio, Bentley Signature Audio and Naim for Bentley Premium Audio. The latter is the most powerful system in the segment, with 1,950 W, a network of 18 loudspeakers and super-tweeters for unrivaled playback of the highest audio frequencies.

A full-length panoramic sunroof with acoustic dividers gives enough natural light to highlight surfaces and details. Activate the hands-free hatchback and discover not only a large practical storage space, but also another unique feature of Bentayga: the optional folding event seat. Ideal for those who wish to stop for a moment and enjoy a spectacular outdoor environment or activity, the innovative, leather-wrapped seat adapts perfectly to the cabin seating style and blends in perfectly with the the back of the car with special attention to detail.

Never before has a vehicle consistently combined authentic luxury with the ability to drive anywhere. The Bentayga development program is the most comprehensive in the history of the Bentley brand, spanning five continents. From land and gravel in South Africa to the dunes of Dubai, through the muddy fields of Cheshire, and -30 ° C in the North Cape frozen at 50 ° C of desert heat, the capacity of the Bentayga to perform on all surfaces and even in the most extreme conditions has been proven. The Bentayga also traveled more than 400 laps of the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit, as part of the dynamic performance development of the chassis and the development of the corresponding control and stability systems.

Generally, the exhaustive list of options includes a mechanical Mulliner Tourbillon mechanical clock by Breitling. The most complex of watch mechanisms, the Mulliner Tourbillon is automatically wound periodically by a high-precision winding mechanism dedicated to the interior of the car. This masterpiece is machined in solid gold (customers can choose between pink gold and white gold), with a choice of facets in mother of pearl or black ebony and adorned with eight diamond indexes.

Set between the Lamborghini Urus and the Rolls Royce Cullinan, the Bentayga offers an interesting balance between absolute performance and extraordinary levels of luxury and comfort.