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Yorkshire Times
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Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
@ytimesmotoring
4:07 PM 8th October 2019
cars

Bentley Bentayga V8 - Class Act

 
At a recent drive event, I was fortunate enough to spend a little time with the latest Bentley Bentayga, in Black Specification no less.

The Dove Grey paintwork is subtly enhanced by some rather lovely carbon fibre additions, namely to the sills, bumpers and spoiler. Add in 22-inch black alloy wheels and this Bentayga signals sporting intent.

For under the bonnet sits Bentley’s 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine, which not only sounds magnificent but also boasts enough power to see this gargantuan and weighty SUV sprint to 60mph in just 4.4 seconds.

The silky smooth ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox and permanent all-wheel drive ensure that all that power can be safely deployed whatever the weather. And typical Yorkshire monsoon conditions were the order of the day, but it didn’t stop the fun.

Ensconced behind the wheel, the forces of nature were all but banished, the brutish Bentley making light work of the atrocious conditions. Slower traffic was dispatched with a mere twitch of the right foot, the heady 770Nm of torque being readily available from low revs. Fun was only spoilt by the presence of a roving speed camera van, dispatched no doubt to ensure the assembled gathering of motoring journalists behaved themselves. Most did I suspect.

With local knowledge I headed away from the main roads and found the Bentayga surprisingly easy to hustle down narrow country lanes. Excellent visibility, sharp speed-sensitive power steering and adaptive suspension all played their part.

However, the Bentayga is a cruiser first and foremost and any version would make a wonderful long-distance travelling companion.

That is readily apparent when you open the Bentayga’s door and glimpse the exquisite cabin within. As one would expect, only the finest quality materials are used. The seats are clad in diamond quilted leather and whether up front or in the rear, comfort is guaranteed.

The front perches come with a massage function, ideal to sooth away the stresses of that board meeting or a day spent engaged in country pursuits.

Splashes of carbon fibre adorn the dashboard and drilled alloy foot pedals hint that this particular Bentley puts power to the fore.

All that rushing around did nothing for the Bentayga’s fuel economy. Let’s just say 20mpg may be possible with a little restraint.

However, with the list price of £136,200, it is doubtful that the lucky Bentayga owner will be at all concerned. He or she is more likely to wonder what lovely extras can be added to ensure their car is a one-off bespoke model. The test car was adorned with over £40,000 of delightful goodies…

So, what else is likely to be on the Bentayga buyer’s shopping list. A Rolls-Royce Cullinan will doubtless be ruled out due to its stratospheric pricing and the Range Rover is far too commonplace.

Which leaves the Bentley in a unique position. It offers enough exclusivity to satisfy a wealthy buyer and is capable of doing the school run one minute and dashing off to Klosters for a little skiing the next. And whatever is asked of it, it will ensure that all on board are pampered and cosseted.

Fast Facts
Bentley Bentayga V8
Price £136,200
550PS 4.0-litre V8 engine
770Nm of torque
0-60mph in 4.4 seconds
Top speed 180mph
Combined economy 21.7mpg
Emissions 296g/km CO2

Options Fitted
Mulliner Driving Specification - £7,255
Centenary Specification - £1,385
City Specification - £4,375
Sunshine Specification - £1,645
Touring Specification - £6,255
Black Specification - £19,350
Front Seat Comfort - £2,830