Bentley Bentayga beats SUV record at 2018 Pikes Peak Hill Climb

Shortly after the Volkswagen brand shattered the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb overall record, Bentley set a new production SUV record with its Bentayga. The big Bentley climbed the 12.4-mile course to the Colorado Pikes Peak in 10: 49.9, about two minutes less than the previous record set in 2013 by the Land Rover Range Rover. Sport.

Pikes Peak is one of the oldest breeds in the world and one of the most difficult. The course includes 156 laps and elevates to almost 5,000 feet of altitude. Drivers may collapse on cliffs, and internal combustion vehicles such as the Bentayga may lose power in the rarefied air. Driver Rhys Millen drove an average of 66.5 mph on what, for the rest of the year, is a public road with a speed limit of 30 mph. And he did it in a luxury SUV mainly.

While Bentley has removed more than 600 pounds of interior trim to make way for a safety cage and other mandatory safety equipment, and equipped with different tires and an Akrapovic exhaust system more powerful, the Pikes Peak was mechanically available. No changes were made to the 6.0-liter twin turbocharged W12 engine that produces 600 horsepower and 663 lb-ft of torque. Bentley also kept the active anti-roll system in stock, which uses electrical energy to adjust anti-roll bars on the fly to counter roll.

Rhys Millen won Pikes Peak in 2012 and 2015, but this year he teamed up with Bentley to focus specifically on the SUV production record. The open nature of the Pikes Peak rules makes for an astonishing variety of cars. This year has seen everything from an Acura NSX to a heavily modified Ford Focus. But the fastest car at Pikes Peak was the fully electric Volkswagen I.D. R, a custom built race car that climbed the mountain in 7: 57.1, making it the first car to reach the top in less than eight minutes.

To commemorate his achievement, Bentley will build a Bentayga Pikes Peak Special Edition. It can be ordered with the same Radium (green) exterior paint as the rider, or Beluga (black), with the same 22-inch two-tone wheels as the Bentayga race. The interior is trimmed with Beluga leather with Key Lime accents and an Alcantara handle. Just 10 Pikes Peak Bentaygas will be built at an undetermined price. Order books open in August.