Luxury enhanced: How Bentley made a better Bentayga
The luxury car manufacturer makes a bolder, more innovative SUV in a more environmentally friendly manner. Brought to you by Bentley.
Virtually every front and rear body panel in the new Bentayga has been redesigned to reflect Bentley’s current design DNA. Photos: Bentley
After more than a century of building cars that cosset and exhilarate, Bentley is set to turn a corner. This process of reinvention begins with the new Bentayga.
It is the first car in the Beyond 100 roadmap, a business plan that will keep Bentley at the forefront of luxury, but in a sustainable and innovative way. The manufacturer plans to go fully electric in 10 years and by 2026, it will offer only plug-in hybrid or full-electric versions of its luxury cars.
It has already made significant progress on the sustainability front. Between 2010 and 2019, energy and environmental management measures have helped reduce energy consumption by 54 per cent per car, CO2 emissions by 84 per cent and waste water by 99 per cent – while production increased by 156 per cent.
The manufacturer continues to set the rules for what it means to build the very best. The Bentayga invented the luxury SUV segment in 2015. The new Bentayga redefines it, thanks in part to a fresh design that updates the Bentayga’s appearance to be in line with the latest Bentleys.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Designers were given the freedom to alter every front and rear body panel to inject the Bentayga with Bentley’s current design DNA, and endow it with the unmistakably grand appearance of its siblings.
“Over the last few years we created the new Continental GT, the Continental GT Convertible and the Flying Spur, and we wanted to achieve a certain familial feeling, integrating the Bentayga into the Bentley family,” said Stefan Sielaff, director of design at Bentley Motors.
To achieve this, the Bentayga’s grille is larger and more upright, while the headlights are 30mm higher and spaced wider apart. The lamps have 82 LEDs each, and feature the exquisite crystal-cut glass design found in the Continental and Flying Spur.
More careful resculpting at the back sees the Bentayga gain a contemporary tailgate design that stretches across its full width, with tail lamps resembling other Bentley models.
“The clamshell tailgate generates an enormous feeling of width. We also introduced the elliptic rear lights with a lot of three-dimensional surfacing, and the woven crystal-cut theme,” Sielaff said.
NO STONE UNTURNED
No detail was too tiny in the Bentayga’s redesign. The design team gave it a larger rear spoiler to balance the more prominent front end. They also moved the front fenders inwards by 10mm, giving the Bentayga the impression of a wider stance to enhance its commanding road presence.
For the same sense of breadth, the rear wheels are set wider apart by 20mm, lending the Bentayga a more powerful stance. That improves steering feel and response — the Bentayga not only looks more athletic, it feels that way from behind the wheel.
THE INSIDE JOB
As with the exterior, no detail was considered too small when it came to improving the Bentayga’s interior. It has a redesigned steering wheel and door trim, and a dashboard with sculptural air-conditioning vents that shroud the Breitling clock — a classic piece showing that every Bentayga is an authentic work of craftsmanship.
With this design came new trim options, such as the dark tint diamond brushed aluminium, or two straight-grained veneers: Koa and Crown Cut Walnut.
The Mulliner Driving Specification adds a refreshed quilting design, with a new option for micro piping detailing for the seats. They all have to be seen and, in some cases, felt to be truly appreciated. The redesigned seats were also shaped to create more cabin room.
SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE
What remains unchanged in the Bentayga is the sense of craftsmanship, the skilful contribution of human hands that lends every Bentley its authenticity.
“It’s the little features customers may not notice at first that add up to make the difference in the new Bentayga. It might be the horizontal grab handle in the door or the unique seat stitching — each one emphasising how the design team has gone the extra mile,” said Darren Day, head of interior design at Bentley Motors.
One such little touch is the wrist rest on the dashboard that makes it easier for customers to operate the new 10.9-inch main touchscreen. Its edge-to-edge display has an anti-glare and anti-scratch coating — more examples of the little touches that count.
THE CONNECTED CAR
The new Bentayga offers more connectivity and digitalisation than ever. Its main instrumentation is fully digital, offering high-resolution graphics, proving that modernity and timelessness can coexist in harmony.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allow the Bentayga’s infotainment system to seamlessly connect with a smartphone, while an improved Head Up Display system now shows traffic information, street names and distance to destination.
Together with the sweeping design changes that have resculpted the Bentayga, these features ensure that the class leader raises the bar for power, luxury and usability in the luxury SUV world.
As many as 70 per cent of the first Bentayga’s buyers were new Bentley customers. As much as there is to experience about the Bentayga, driving one is a sure-fire way to discover the luxury on offer.
MANY PATHS TO AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY
Would you prefer to indulge in your sense of sight or sound? Do you appreciate expansive outdoor spaces or are you drawn to all things urban? Part of the Bentley Bentayga’s virtual launch includes an interactive video that lets visitors explore the aspects of the Bentayga that intrigues them the most.
While the Bentayga awaits those eager to step into the fascinating world of Bentley via the showroom, it is already awaiting discovery in the virtual world. Experience what it took to create the ultimate SUV, virtually. Begin your journey to finding your extraordinary.
