2016 Bentley Bentayga W 12 Review

Bentley’s sumptuous crossover can hardly go unnoticed in any part of the world. We finally get behind the wheel, albeit briefly, of the most luxurious (and expensive) sports utility vehicle in the world at present.

Not only will you need a great deal of money to have this ultra luxurious SUV from Crewe standing in your driveway, but also a great deal of patience as well. You see, the entire production run for the first year – 5,000 units – has already been spoken for. Why should you care? Well, for the simple reason that, if you can afford it, the Bentayga offers levels of luxury and opulence never before seen in this segment.

The Bentayga aims to beat the Range Rover at its own game, while also getting warmed up for the arrival of a similar rival from erstwhile sister-company and now arch rival – Rolls-Royce. Yes, these high riding vehicles will be the new frontier for vehicles of opulence and stature. That country house has never been this accessible before!

This will be a battle that will be all about the details – in which materials, finishes and technology will take centre stage. And Bentley seems to have got it spot on with the Bentayga. The cockpit, of course, has an abundance of leather, different types of exotic wood trim, and thick layers of chrome – all things that titillate the senses and enthral the mind.

The overall ambience of the cabin, and the sheer size of this machine, make it abundantly clear that it belongs to a car dynasty that is most certainly out of the ordinary. Under the skin of this behemoth lurks an unaltered 6-litre bi-turbo W12 that delivers a blistering amount of horsepower to waft its aluminium and steel body rather swiftly down the road – or dirt trail even. It has an electric anti-roll system that runs off an exclusive 48 volt system – the first application of its kind in the industry, and one that we’re sure to see a lot more of in future. As a result of some of this cunning and technological trickery, this luxo-barge offers levels of performance that are hard to get your head around. But what really impressed us were the levels of comfort, fluidity and ability to adapt to any kind of road surface – be it sand or racetrack.

Regardless of its two tonnes of bulk – sitting on its 21-inch rims – the Bentley’s road manners are simply astonishing. But, then, would you expect any less?

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