Bentley makes the Bentayga SUV. Yes. Bentley.
No, I didn’t get a test drive. But The Verge took this baby out for spin. What did The Verge say? They said it was fun!
And the Bentley Bentayga should be fun at a $229,100 starting price. The SUV has a top speed of 187mph driven by a twin-turbo W-12 engine producing 600hp. It also uses adaptive shocks, air springs, hydraulic swat bars, and an anti-roll system using electric motors running on a 48-volt system Nothing about this SUV is “normal” to the rest of us driving on planet Earth.
Interestingly, over 10,000 pre-orders are already in the queue–from people who most likely have not even had a test-drive! Bentley can produce about a third of the pre-order quantity each year, so that list will remain long and exclusive for some time to come.
So how does the Bentayga SUV drive?
According to writer Jason H. Harper, “the Bentayga is hella fun to drive.” He takes the reader on a virtual test drive through Palm Springs and out into California’s Imperial Sand Dunes recreation area. He climbs a near vertical sand dune with ease and flys down a winding road, the Palm to Pines Scenic Byway (CA-74). Presumably, he completes this tour de Palm with a wide grin on his face because he describes the drive in detail.
One area where the Bentayga SUV shines is how it handles it’s weight. According to Harper the SUV is very heavy and feels like it, but the power to weight ratio is such that the SUV responds and moves effortlessly. He climbs the sand dune with ease and says the SUV is very nimble on the curves and switchbacks of the Palm to Pines Scenic Byway. That such a heavy vehicle can respond so completely is a wonder to the engineers.
Harper also go to test the Bentyaga on an off-road obstacle course, complete with log bridges, and a racetrack, both of which the Bentyaga handled with ease.
Drawbacks? Yes, there are a few. Only 17 cubic feet of cargo space, less than half of the CRV’s 37 cubic feet. Rear passenger leg room is also somewhat compromised in the current model. But that just gives more reason for Bentayga owners to keep the old Range Rover around when more room is needed. The Range Rover is the driver behind the Bentayga SUV development, Bentley noticed that customers showed up at outdoorsy event in Range Rovers instead of their Bentleys.
So, now would be the time to get in line for your Bentayga. After all, it has capabilities that could replace your current stable of cars. As for the price, Harper points out, “you can’t drive a dozen Honda CR-Vs at the same time, anyway.”
