Right till Lamborghini launched the Urus and Aston Martin showed up with the DBX, the Bentley Bentayga was the fastest SUV in the world. But even with that crown, the car offered passengers the luxury of a King. Now, the British marquee seems to want more. Bit its not the speed crown they are after. With the launch of the Bentley Bentayga Extended Wheelbase, the company has brought in a new benchmark in terms of luxury. The stretched-out SUV now feel likes a spa/meeting room/luxury lounge on wheels. Of course, this Bentayga isn’t meant for the likes of you and me, so there is a pretty hefty price tag that comes with it, but we’ll get to that part of the story in a little bit. With the new Bentayga EWB, you get a number of new enhancements including new seating options and a design choices. (Image Source: Bentley)
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Let’s start with the exteriors. The biggest update here will obviously be the increase in length. Bentley says the the Bentayga now offers the largest cabin space when compared to any of its competitors. With the wheelbase and cabin space up by 180 mm to 3,175 mm now, almost all of the extension is concentrated on the passenger side doors of the car. The overall length of the car, too, now stands at 5,322 mm. The doors themselves are also powered so that they close at the push of a button. Another change is the position of sunroof. This has been scooted backwards to account for the increase in the cabin space. At the front, there is the new ‘Verticle Vane’ front grille inspired by the Flying Spur and on the side, you see a new set of very shiny 22 inch alloys. (Image Source: Bentley)
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Over on the inside is where the luxury really begins. As we mentioned before, the length of the cabin has increased by 180 mm and almost all of this increase is concentrated on the rear. However, unlike the standard Bentayga, the EWB does not come with a seven seat option. What it does get, however, are three other seat options. There’s the normal ‘Comfort Specification’ four- and five-seater with foldable backrests. There is also a specification called ‘4+1’. In this specification, the two outer seats get a boat-load of features, including 16-way electric adjustability, heating, ventilation and even five massage programmes. The middle seat, on the other hand, can hold one person, but the back rest can be folded down to access the ski hatch. (Image Source: Bentley)
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But what really needs talking about is the Airline Seat Specification. This brings in a whole new level of luxury to the Bentayga with two airplane- like (duh!) seats for the rear passengers which can be adjusted in 22 different ways electrically including the headrest. Additionally, the seat can also recline by up to 40 degrees, which according to Bentley allows for an ideal and comfortable position to sleep in. The level of seat recline is controllable and that can be done via the Touch Screen remote. There are also two switches in the door pocket that adjust the seat to either of the two extremes. It’s most upright position is called Business Mode. The Relax Mode, however, deploys a set of other functions as well. Aside from reclining the seat all the way back, the front passenger seat is pushed all the way to the front to increase cabin space even more and a footrest pops out from the from the front passenger seat-back allowing for optimal relaxation. (Image Source: Bentley)
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The Airline Seat Configuration also some other luxury features. The first is Seat Auto Climate. Using this, the passenger sets a desired temperature from six levels. The car then measures the contact temperature and surface humidity and, using the heating and ventilation function, adjusts the temperature accordingly. This is monitored constantly to ensure the temperature level remains constant. (Image Source: Bentley)
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Then there is the Postural Adjustment function. This function allows the seat to subtly change shape continuously. Bentley says this prevents dead spots and fatigue build up and eases pressure points. This is done by the addition of new thigh and shoulder pockets as well as additional lumbar massage pockets. Three different programmes are available – All areas of the seat, Twist and Backrest only. Unlike the typical seat motor which are usually linear, Bentley use of air pockets allows for more imperceptible adjustments to be made. According to the company, the use of air pockets allows for more complex adjustments and six independent zones make about 177 adjustments every three hours. (Image Source: Bentley)
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And then there are the additional adjustments. Using the VIP mode, the rear passenger can move the front passenger seat forward. Adjustments include cushion and backrest bolster adjustments, cushion extension, headrest height and the deployable footrest we spoke of earlier. The Bentayga, also gets heated door and centre armrests. (Image Source: Bentley)
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The seats are finished in a quilted leather with a new design. The Bentley Diamon illumination, incorporates LED elements behind the perforated diamond patterns on the door panels. The colour and the intensity of the LEDs are fully customisable and controlled using the Touch Screen remote and the infotainment system. There are other changes too. The front centre console has been tweaked and extended backwards for better rear passenger reach and the door trim panels have been redesigned. Bentley says the Bentayga’s interiors can be customised with up to 24 billion combinations making for an extremely unique setting for each individual. (Image Source: Bentley)
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Moving on to performance and engine specifications, the Bentayga EWB is powered by a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine that churns out 542 bhp of maximum power and 770 Nm of maximum torque. Bentley claims a 0 to 100 km/h sprint time of 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 270 km/h. These aren’t the fastest obviously, but still big numbers for an SUV this size. (Image Source: Bentley)
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Additionally, the Bentayga EWB comes with all-wheel-steering, a feature first introduced on the Flying Spur in Bentley’s lineup. At highway speeds, the rear wheels turn in the direction of input allowing for more stability around turns. At lower speeds, however, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction effectively shortening the turning radius, something that is definitely needed for the EWB. And finally, the suspension enhancements that Bentley has made for the Bentayga allow for a 27 percent reduction in ride vibration when compared to its competitors, as claimed by Bentley of course. (Image Source: Bentley)
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The Bentley Bentayga’s price hasn’t been announced yet, but it is expected to hit international markets sometime later this year after which it should make its way to India as well. Before options, the company estimates the EWB should cost an additional 15 percent over the standard SUV. Bentley also estimates that the Bentayga EWB should see up to 45 percent of the company’s total sales. (Image Source: Bentley)
Stanford Masters Journalist who writes on automobiles
