Bentley is not anything if now no longer pragmatic—it has to be, given the triumphing financial winds that buffet British luxurious manufacturers like Aston Martin and Jaguar. But Bentley has had an excellent 12 months so far, and the Bentayga has performed an oversized position in filling the company’s coffers. To celebrate, Crewe has taken a bit of stretch to destroy and dreamed up an Extended Wheelbase (EWB) variation of its implementing luxurious SUV.
After spending a while with the Bentayga EWB, it is clear that pragmatism will pay dividends—together with the first-rate revel in withinside the EWB’s 2d row, this is certainly a unique factor.
Stretching Out
On a few levels, yes, the EWB is a stretch job, a Bentayga appropriate for the ones who’d favor being withinside the again instead of withinside the driver’s seat. That will truly be the case for a few proprietors—now no longer as many as you would assume. But Bentley went to a few attempts to make certain that the transformation is greater sizeable than a trifling cut-and-paste—with a claimed 2,500 new parts, a trick rear-guidance machine, and a few very lavish rear-seat alternatives.
For one, the longer wheelbase and roof serve to visually lean out the Bentayga, giving it an implementing and greater sleek look. Massaged man or woman strains at the flanks, a “Vertical Vane” grille tailored from the maw of the brand new Flying Spur, and a refined model of the Bentayga’s 22-inch wheels assist promote the stretch. The unbalanced door shapes—a massive rear door dwarfing miles smaller than the front one—destroy the spell a bit. But it is unavoidable whilst magnificence-main rear passenger area (and access) are the top motivator.
Big Hustler
Only a 10th of a 2d slower to 60 mph than its shorter V-eight stablemate, the 542-hp EWB would not go away a lot at the table. The 220 greater kilos of EWB it lugs round appear to be a drop in a completely huge bucket—the overall is now 7, one hundred sixty-five kilos, to be exact. At the moment, the 4.
zero-liter, twin-turbocharged V-eight is the EWB’s simplest to-be-had engine; we are curious why Bentley did not go along with the Bentayga’s to-be-had W-12 engine, however, perhaps it will likely be labored into an excellent greater distinctive model of this longer SUV.
More vital, the dynamic stability is not modified a lot. Yes, the EWB is 7. zero inches longer, however a brand new rear-guidance machine (the primary on a Bentayga) method its turning circle is smaller than a short-wheelbase Bentayga. Add withinside the magic of adjustable dampers (which variety from barely softer than an everyday Bentayga to simply as stiff in Sport mode) and preferred 48-volt energetic roll bars, and you have an automobile that does not experience as lengthy or portly because it truly is—from the driver’s seat, at least.
That provides as much as an revel in on a windy street that should not nauseate any passengers lounging withinside the again, and one which has to even entertain the driver. The EWB’s sheer mass obfuscates its overall performance barely. Bentley claims it’s going to hit 60 mph in 4.
five seconds, and there may be no motive to doubt it, however, the manner it gathers velocity makes it experience planned instead of explosive—assume steam teach instead of overgrown WRX. Power and torque are enough and without difficulty accessible, and in Sport mode, the exhaust emits a pleasing and stately growl, even though the accelerator’s sluggish tip-in makes rolling into the throttle easily a moderate challenge.
First-Class Accommodations
From the again seat, it is difficult to reflect on consideration something aside from the quantity of sheer area you need to relax (or even recline) in. Voluminous is not even the word—it is like a first-rate suite from one of these greater-distinctive lengthy-haul airways grafted into an SUV. The area is bigger internal than the vintage Mulsanne sedan, which changed into even longer and which the EWB efficiently replaces.
While even the primary 3-throughout rear seats (as you would discover in an everyday Bentayga) lets you revel in the area, it takes the greater distinctive seating alternatives—the 4+1 and the four-seater arrangements—to completely admire the EWB’s accommodations. There is, however, no third-row seating alternative, and with all of the stretch occurring among the wheels, the rear shipment room is unchanged from the short-wheelbase models.
“Airline Seat,” for maximum, probably invokes reminiscences of economic system magnificence torture devices, however, assume in place of the cushiest commercial enterprise magnificence throne after which provide it 22 types of adjustment. Then upload a few beneficial intelligence: a machine that makes use of sensors to mechanically warm and funky each your again and backside to simply the proper temperature selected from six levels.
An almost imperceptible shuffling of the rubdown bladders to softly circulate your frame over the route of 3 hours to keep away from something going numb. And maximum vital, the capacity to recline as a lot as forty degrees, masses for the best snooze or to virtually gaze up thru the gargantuan overhead glass panel, all at the same time as respiratory air purified via way of means of ionizers.
All of this may be done with some faucets at the display screen of a completely slick, detachable touch-touchy panel that cars out from the again of front console and separates from its magnetic base with a mild tug. You can manage both seats, the weather manages, open the large sunshade above, and do some of the different matters. But scooting the front seat forward, deploying its footrest, and snuggling down on your completely reclined Airline Seat for relaxation can be the maximum famous software of this little device. And we are expecting the Airline Seat alternative (that is to be had on each of the 4+1 and the four-seat configurations) can be the maximum famous seating alternative for the EWB, despite its sizable five-parent fee, given its stunning consolation and sumptuous air.
Equally vital for a few clients, given the scale of the rear doors, are the non-obligatory strength rear door cars. Their use is intuitive; nudge the open door, and it’s going to motor closed at a planned pace. From internal, a button push will recollect the door, stopping what may be a protracted and awkward attain to the door pull.
Smooth And Quiet
Bentley labored tougher with the EWB to overcome the scary noise, vibration, and harshness which could have ensued from the changes had to offer the longer, greater spacious, and probably greater echo-y rear compartment. After all, there are large expanses of glass each above and at the sides. The hassle changed tackled twofold: The acoustic glazing at the glass changed into revised, and the exhaust machine changed into redesigned. Pair this with transformed damper programming—the softest placing is fantastically softer than that on different Bentaygas—and the result is a greater serene revel in.
With a lot of eras integrated into the suspension, and with one of these extensive working varieties, the unexpected factor is that there may be no incorrect solution with regards to deciding on a force mode withinside the EWB. Comfort is Downy-soft, with simplest the remote concept of bumps and heaves, however blissfully without any boat-like aspect-to-aspect motions way to its properly-tuned energetic roll bars.
Meanwhile, the firmest placing gives stepped forward facts approximately street surfaces and textures without a touch of punishment. With frame movement so properly controlled, selecting a suspension placing is greater approximately how a lot of engagement you choose than how a lot swaying you could endure. The extra wheelbase duration truly performs a position, too, in assisting the auto settle among every axle rolling over an imperfection.
Wellness Is The New Luxury
The EWB is to be had in base, Azure, and 1st Edition trim levels, every with the form of extra lathered-on layers of extra you would count on as you develop thru the line. A few matters of notice are new with the EWB, inclusive of numerous interesting and new alternatives: a brand new quilting sample at the seats, thrilling steel overlays hand-laid onto the trim, and “Bentley Diamond Illumination” ambient lighting fixtures that shine thru the leather-based door playing cards in a thrilling and stunning display.
Bentley expects clients to eagerly load up their EWBs with all of the extras, inclusive of the Airline Seats and greater-fee paint and indoor alternatives. And the EWB additionally gives a further huge canvas for Mulliner to personalize even further. But what is probably greater unexpected is how a lot of the income blend Bentley expects the EWB to gobble up: forty percent of income globally, inclusive of the Chinese marketplace that prizes rear-seat area. In America, that might upward push to 60 percent of the Bentayga pie.
Why? Nothing withinside the company’s conversations with keen clients shows EWB proprietors will spend greater time chauffeured withinside the again than some other Bentley owner. But there are different motives to head large with a further-lengthy and relatively specific Bentayga, and that is discovered withinside the company’s notes on revenues. Bentley consumers are spending greater according to the automobile than ever before, and unsurprisingly, their price area and comfort are greater than utility—especially on the pinnacle of the variety, in which the EWB sits.
After all, the EWB is substantially greater steeply-priced than its short-wheelbase counterparts—beginning at $229,625, or a stunning $266,225 for the Azure trim—and gives masses the possibility to lather on alternatives and indulge with improvements just like the Airline Seat. Bentley imagines many clients will upload $40,000 or with the intention to the bottom rate of the EWB version they choose—a parent that is now no longer difficult to recognize thinking about the costs of a few alternatives. Four-area indoors with Airline Seats? That’ll be $14,915. But that outlay will now no longer simplest make it theirs, however additionally create the form of stunning display (and rate tag) that an imposing automobile just like the Mulsanne sedan used to embody.
Post by : Owner990