Power Phenom
When work began on the Bentayga, the idea behind it was to redefine the SUV segment. An exhaustive development cycle included over 400 testing laps in Nurburgring to fine-tune the dynamism of the chassis and its engine systems. The success of this objective is now patently clear, with 2016 heralding the world’s fastest, most powerful and most luxurious SUV. The spectacular statistics from its all-new 6.0-litre W12 engine offers an exhilarating 900Nm of torque, 600 brake horsepower and a century sprint of a mere 4.0 seconds – a fact made more impressive by the vehicle’s kerb weight of 2,440 kg. Flooring the accelerator draws an immediate response of sheer power, with the sensation of a plane taking off a runway.
Conceived and built in Crewe, each Bentayga which rolled off the state-of-the-art production facility features an industry-record aluminium body-side; the largest single-piece aluminium pressed for any car in the world. A sculpted front end is formed by air at 500-degrees Celsius and double-glazing is applied for front and side glass for better acoustics on a standard sound system of ten speakers and six channels (upgradeable to the Naim for Bentley Premium sound system comprising 18 speakers, 19 channels and a 1,950-watt amplifier with Super Tweeters).
Meanwhile, driving dynamics is augmented by the on-board tech that recruits 12 ultrasonic sensors, five cameras and radar to provide stability in all forms of environments, be it city or country. Driver Assistance Systems intelligently recognises the terrain and climate, automatically adjusting for pedestrian warnings on urban streets as well as torque distribution and suspension controls for a variety of off-road conditions; be it grass, mud, gravel and sand.
Inside, Bentley’s famed craftsmanship comes to the fore, with tenths of a millimetre tolerances applied to interior trims and the requisite luxe combo of leather, wood and chrome. Bentley’s 58 dedicated craftspeople at its woodshop for the Bentayga’s veneers alone offers the customisation options which may even be matched to a personalised three-piece picnic hamper set, trimmed in diamond-quilted leather containing Linley china and crystal. High horology enthusiasts may also choose to kit the dashboard with a solid gold mechanical tourbillon by Breitling of diamond indexes – which comes with the added advantage of periodic winding from a dedicated drive within the car.
