SPY PICS: Best look yet at Bentley Bentayga
First Bentley SUV emerges at the Nurburgring, shedding more clothes ahead of debut later this yearBentley's first SUV has been snapped testing at the Nurburgring, offering the best look yet at the Bentayga before its world debut later this year, probably at the Frankfurt motor show in September.
The most revealing images yet follow an official teaser video of the big SUV's interior just over a week ago, when the British brand claimed it will be the world's most luxurious SUV.
Days earlier, a regional Bentley executive said the Bentayga will boost the company's local sales by 50 per cent after it arrives here early next year, when it's expected to be Australia's most expensive SUV – at least until Rolls-Royce Cullinan arrives next year.
While the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S is currently Australia's priciest SUV at around $275,000, the Bentayga is expected to eclipse both it and Bentley's cheapest current model the near-$380K Flying Spur V8 sedan.
As with the pre-production prototype spied in March, this vehicle wears deceptive, oversized graphics to disguise the cars' actual headlights and tail-lights.
But their real shape can be seen if you look closely enough, and this is the first time the Bentayga's high-riding five-door wagon body can be seen fully undisguised, expect for lightly taped areas around the grille, front bumper and rear quarter windows.
Key SUV elements applied for the first time on a Bentley include subtle matt-black wheel-arch and lower body-side cladding, contrasting front and rear under-bumper 'skid plates' and integrated roof rails. There's also a pair of large oval-shaped outboard exhaust outlets.
As we've reported, the Bentayga will ride on the Volkswagen Group’s MLB Evo platform, which has already debuted under Audi's second-generation Q7 and is also expected to underpin the new Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg.
The Bentayga will be launched exclusively with a 6.0-litre W12 petrol engine and all-wheel drive, followed by other drivetrains including a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, an unspecified turbo-diesel and a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
The recent teaser video showed the big Bentley will comes with a 300km/h speedo as well as advanced drive aids like night vision and selectable driving modes.
While the Q7, Touareg and Cayenne will continue to be built in Slovakia, Bentley has commissioned a new production line for the Bentayga at Crewe, following an £800m investment in its UK factory.
Bentley produced just over 11,000 vehicles last year, but plans to increase that to around 18,000 by 2018.
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