The Bentayga’s exterior is muscular and sculptural with a commanding presence, complemented by her commanding grille and look-at-me LED headlamps. The Bentayga is made for off-roading but is equally comfortable on the tarmac and completely effortless to drive.
New styling features include a three-spoke, wood-and-hide steering wheel and a high-gloss carbon-fibre interior panel finish, which looks streamlined and classy.
The Mulliner craftsmen at Bentley are experts in their field: hand cross-stitching is an option, as is the choice of four-, five- or seven-seat configuration. In fact, the Bentayga can be customised to suit even the most demanding of customers who appreciate the SUV’s versatility and performance.
I love the Cricket Ball leather – making its debut in this new Bentayga V8, matching the 15 interior colours and five colour splits available.
Appreciative of the optional carbon ceramic brakes on the challenging corners – the ‘world’s largest front-brake system’ is blessed with a braking torque of 6,000Nm. Pretty impressive. Visibility is excellent all-round, and the Bentayga V8 has all the refined elements you’d expect from such a luxurious marque.
Although we weren’t testing the Bentayga offroad, the Bentayga’s All-Terrain Specification means she’ll perform equally well on non-tarmac surfaces, including Snow & Grass, Dirt & Gravel, Mud & Trail and Sand Dunes.
She has a ‘multi-mode’ air suspension with four settings which tackle challenging off-road surfaces (no need for buttock clenching here), while the rear suspension can be lowered for loading and hitching trailers.
We didn’t try Park Assist (autonomous parking – not for control freaks like myself, thanks), but it could be fun. And I would have loved to see the Night Vision in action. Here, infra-red tech comes into play to identify potential obstacles ahead. The Bentayga’s 8” touchscreen infotainment system was easy to navigate and has an impressive 60GB hard drive and a choice of up to 30 languages.
As you’d imagine, there is plenty of room for rear-seat passengers who also benefit from the Bentley Entertainment Tablet – a removable 10.2” Android device with 4G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for effortless, high-speed on-board connectivity.
Customers can choose between three different sound systems for the Bentayga V8: Bentley Standard Audio, Bentley Signature Audio and Naim for Bentley Premium Audio.
The Bentayga’s higher perspective means slightly less engagement with the road than its Continental GT stablemate, but the car’s refined comfort, superlative suspension and excellent road handling make it ideal for long-distance touring. The Bentley V8 is a charismatic fusion of power and refinement without equal in its class.
Dubai to Oman for the next press trip?
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Bentley Bentayga V8 Performance Stats
- 0-60mph: 4.4 secs
- Top speed: 180mph
- Power: 542 bhp* / 404 kW / 550 PS @ 6,000 rpm
- Gearbox: ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox, permanent all-wheel drive with 40:60 front to rear torque split
- Engine: 4.0-litre 32-valve twin-turbocharged V8
- Fuel Consumption: Combined – 24.8mpg / 11.4l / 100km
- Fuel Tank: 85 litres / 18.7 UK gallons / 22.5 US gallons
- Torque: 770 Nm / 568 lb.ft @ 1960-4500 rpm
- Paint Colours: 7 standard; 100 extended
Bentley Continental GT Performance Stats
- 0-60mph: 3.6 secs
- Top speed: 207mph
- Power: 635 PS / 626 bhp / 467 kw @ 6000rpm
- Gearbox: ZF eight-speed dual clutch
- Engine: 6.0 litre twin-turbocharged W12 TSI
- Fuel Consumption: 23.2mpg / 12.2 litres / 100km
- Fuel Tank: 90 litres / 20 UK gallons / 24 US gallons
- Torque: 900 Nm / 6664 lb.ft @1350 – 4500 rpm
- Paint Colours: 17 standard; bespoke on request