PEAKLIFE

The new Bentayga has the greatest breadth of ability of any car on the road, and with the Four Seat Comfort Specification, the Bentayga’s abilities as the limousine of SUVs comes to the fore.

With the four-seat version of the car now available from launch along with both a five-seat configuration and the option of a full seven-seat interior, the interior of the new Bentayga is configurable to the demands of any family. All the seats in the new Bentayga have been completely redesigned and now have a more sculptured shape, particularly around the shoulder area, to provide an even greater level of comfort that further improves on the industry- recognised benchmark for seat comfort.

Building on the success of the previous generation where one in every five cars (4,000 vehicles) was specified with the four-seat configuration, rear legroom has been improved to enhance the chauffeur-driven experience through careful design and relocation of the backboard separating the cabin from the boot area. The maximum recline of the rear seats has been increased from 32° to 40°, and the fore and aft travel has been increased by 35mm. This combination delivers a 100mm improvement in knee room in the reclined position, helping to make luxury travel even more comfortable.

The Four Seat Comfort Specification also adds further rear seat content including seat ventilation (in addition to seat heating as standard), a selection of six different massage programmes, and a winged comfort headrest. With the Four Seat Comfort Specification the Mulliner Console Bottle Cooler can also be chosen, housing a fully integrated drink cooler for a 750ml bottle, and two handcrafted Cumbria Crystal Flutes.

Between the two rear seats, a rear centre console provides additional storage and two further USB charging sockets. While a beautiful leather-trimmed backboard containing a diamond quilted ski hatch separates the cabin from the boot space.

To access the additional seat functionality, rear-seat passengers’ benefit from a technology upgrade for the new Bentayga with the new, larger Touch Screen Remote control tablet, similar to that introduced in the all-new Flying Spur. The five-inch display uses more contemporary graphics and has extra processing power through an onboard quad-core processor and 1 GB of RAM. The unit can control a range of functions, from rear-seat heating and massage to the media system and navigation, to mood lighting, and electric windows and sunroof blind.

A next-generation infotainment system is integrated seamlessly into the handcrafted, Bentley ‘wing’ dashboard design and features a 10.9-inch display screen with edge-to-edge graphics. The all-new digital display includes super high-resolution and dynamic graphics which are configurable to suit driver preferences. The latest hardware and software bring all-new navigation with satellite maps, online search and other features.

Wireless Apple CarPlay is standard for the first time, alongside the existing wired system, along with Android Auto (market dependant). Rear seat occupants’ benefit from the introduction of a new, larger touchscreen remote control tablet, similar to that introduced in the all-new Flying Spur.

The new model will initially be launched in Bentayga V8 guise offering supercar performance balanced with everyday usability, with the plug-in Hybrid and W12-powered Speed versions to follow this year. The V8’s 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged petrol engine develops an impressive 542 bhp (550 PS) and 568 lb.ft (770 Nm) of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox resulting in a top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h) and 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds (100 km/h in 4.5 seconds).

Later, new Bentayga will be offered as an efficient Hybrid, the luxury sector’s first true plug-in hybrid. There will also be a performance-focused Speed model, with even more purposeful styling. The Speed is the pinnacle of the Bentayga range and will be powered by Bentley’s renowned 6.0-litre W12 TSI engine.

New Bentayga offers the widest range of on and off-road drive settings of any SUV courtesy of Bentley’s Drive Dynamics Mode and the optional All-Terrain Specification. Up to eight modes – four on and four off-road – are available, allowing drivers to select the perfect dynamic set-up for any surface or road condition at the turn of a dial.