For quite some time, Bentley was preparing to enter the SUV market and it is finally happening with the 2017 Bentley Bentayga, an SUV that the company calls “true Bentley”.
The SUV, powered by 600 ponies, is the fastest SUV in the market and combines the two main principles of Bentley: high luxury and refinement. You can also say that the Bentayga is the Bentley of the SUVs.
Fans and prospective buyers will have the chance to see the Bentayga in flesh during the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. However, just days before the big show, Bentley released several photos and specs of the upcoming luxurious beast in the SUV class.
First things first: the Bentley Bentayga features a 600hp V12 engine under the hood. With such power, the Bentayga can sprint to 60 miles in just four seconds, which is a feat few sports cars can achieve. The top speed is limited at 187mph, making this SUV the fastest in the segment. The only one that can come close is the newly launched Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, but the Cayenne is nowhere near the luxury and refinement of the Bentley. The Tesla Model X will be quicker in sprinting to 60mph, but cannot top the maximum speed of the Bentayga.
The body of the 2017 Bentayga is made out of aluminum and is based on the MLB platform by Volkswagen. The same platform is used for the next generation Porsche Cayenne and the Audi Q7.
Once inside the car, customers will find the refinement and the luxury of the Bentley to be mesmerizing. And there are lots of customization options, including a refrigerator for the trunk. Think of it as the ideal storage spot for your bottles of Dom Perignon. Next in the line of luxury accessories is a custom solid gold clock made by Breitling. All the seats inside are handcrafted in leather, wood and metal. The seats are identical for both the front and the rear passengers. Rear passengers get a dedicated Android tablet spot, as well as ventilation and massage options for their seats.
The driver gets an 8 inch touchscreen infotainment system in the dashboard with tons of setup options. Drivers can do almost everything by turning a dial. Features inside include traction control, electronic stability control, night vision, hill-descent control, adaptive cruise control, navigation system, adjusting speed control and much more. According to Bentley, there are around 90 controls and commands on the main display.
Comfort customization options, for the inside, include 15 ways to adjust the seats. As this is Bentley we are talking about, there are 17 standard color options, 15 shades of leather for the trimming, 15 carpets, and wheel options from 20 to 22 inches.
The company expects to sell around 4,000 units of the 2017 Bentley Bentayga in the first year. The luxury SUV will hit dealerships next summer.