Can't afford the W12? The V8 should suffice.
khodroCar - Bentley originally introduced the company’s first-ever SUV, the Bentayga, in September 2015 with the mighty W12 engine. About a year later, the opulent luxobarge borrowed the Audi SQ7’s biturbo 4.0-liter V8 TDI for the controversial diesel-powered version. Fast forward to present day, the folks from Crewe are ready to spice up the range furthermore by launching another V8 version, this time around a gasoline engine with a 4.0-liter displacement and a pair of turbochargers.
Developing 542 horsepower (404 kilowatts) and 568 pound-feet (770 Newton-meters) of torque like in the Porsche Panamera and Cayenne Turbo, the new Bentayga model runs to 62 mph (100 kph) in 4.5 seconds and tops out at 180 mph (290 kph). For the sake of comparison, the flagship W12 variant is four tenths of a second quicker in the sprint and has a 7 mph (11 kph) higher maximum velocity.
All that power is channeled to both front and rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF sending 60 percent of the torque to the rear axle. Not that people in the market for a Bentayga really care about, but the V8 gasoline version is relatively frugal as it only drinks 11.4 liters / 100 km in the combined cycle, so it returns 20.6 mpg US (24.8 mpg UK). Obviously, it’s more economical than the W12 and with a full tank of gasoline it will cover 464 miles (746 km). Start/stop technology comes as standard equipment, as does the cylinder deactivation system able to turn off half of the cylinders in only 20 milliseconds without the driver noticing it.
There’s not much to report in terms of the design as the new Bentayga V8 looks almost the same as its W12 and TDI brothers. It gets the latter’s quad exhaust setup and can be specified with optional carbon ceramic brakes representing a first for the SUV. These are in fact the largest brakes ever to be installed in a Bentley and at the same time the biggest front brakes available on a production car. Red brake calipers for the regular iron brakes are being introduced with the new V8 flavor, which also gets new 22-inch alloys with a five-spoke design and a polished finish in black.
Stepping inside the lavish cabin, the V8 Bentayga can be visually distinguished thanks to the glossy carbon fiber trim making its debut on a Bentley (other models have a matte surface). The new arrival also marks the introduction of a wood- and hide-trimmed steering wheel available in no less than seven veneer finishes combined with a solid wood base. We could go on talking about the Cricket Ball leather – another first for Bentley – and a choice of 15 interior colors joined by five two-tone themes.
Buyers willing to reach deeper into their pockets can get the Bentley Dynamic Ride, an electric active roll control technology that uses a 48V setup and complements the standard multi-mode air suspension with four selectable modes. Another high-end option would have to be the Naim premium sound system – the most powerful in this segment – with 18 speakers and "super-tweeters” for a total of 1,950 watts.
Beyond the majestic W12 and the pair of V8 gasoline and diesel engines, the Bentley Bentayga is about to get a plug-in hybrid powertrain. It will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March and is expected to use a 2.9-liter V6 teamed up with an electric motor adapted from the Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid.
Source: Bentley
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