Auto focus. Bentley’s uber-luxury sport utility gets extra bling

Bentley has launched the new Bentayga S, bringing extra sporting agility to the already popular Uber luxury SUV family. After the launch of the Bentayga in 2015, an S version has now been introduced based on feedback from the huge number of customers that enjoy the dynamic performance of the Bentayga on-road. Featuring some special additions and visual differentiators, the new model comes from Bentley’s established ‘S’ brand.

The British super luxury car maker says that the new enhanced sports Bentayga provides an even more engaging drive, with Bentley Dynamic Ride active anti-roll control fitted as standard and an enhanced Sports chassis mode. A claimed 15 per cent increase in damping stiffens the chassis and provides a platform for a more dynamic SPORT mode tune for the electronic stability control.

Exterior

The muscular exterior design of the new Bentayga S is stylish and purposeful in equal measure. The sportier character of the Bentayga S is clearly visible from every angle, and made more dramatic with a suite of changes that change the character of the car both inside and out. It gets distinctive black details, and a more sporting exhaust note thanks to a newly designed, free-flowing sports exhaust. The Bentayga S can also be identified by a range of special exterior features, including new unique 22-inch wheels with three finishes, ‘S’ badges positioned on the lower edge of the front doors, and Blackline Specification as standard. It also gets a larger rear spoiler, gloss black side sills and lower bumpers, front and rear. In keeping with the theme, dark tint lenses for the headlamps and tail lamps, black door mirrors and black split oval tailpipes are also part of the package.

The Bentayga S shares a fully digital driver’s information panel with the Bentayga Speed, with pronounced dial graphics that draw inspiration from high-end chronographs

Luxurious cabin

A Bentley announcement mentions that inside the Bentayga S, a luxuriously refined cabin, and a unique style can be found using new seats, unique stitching, a new colour split and Alcantara leather to reflect the exterior and increased dynamic ability. Colour accents on the instrument panel, centre console, door pads and seat bolsters as well as more Alcantara to seat cushion and back inserts, steering wheel and gear lever, give the Bentayga S a bold and contemporary style. ‘S’ badges can be found on the passenger fascia as well as new graphics in the driver’s instrument panel and illuminated tread-plates, identifying the new model.

Colour accents on the instrument panel, Alcantara to steering wheel, give the Bentayga S a bold and contemporary style

The Bentayga S shares a fully digital driver’s information panel with the Bentayga Speed, with pronounced dial graphics that draw inspiration from high-end chronographs. The display can be customised to the driver’s requirements and features real-time lighting effects with multiple animations. The high-resolution screen can be viewed in either Classic or Expanded format. In Classic, the display shows the traditional two-dial design of speedometer and tachometer. In Expanded, the right dial is replaced with an area for maps and media information.

Bentley’s market-leading luxury SUV is available in four, five or seven seat configurations, and since it entered the market in 2016, more than 25,000 customers have taken delivery of a Bentayga. The fourth model in the Bentayga range joins the efficient plug-in Hybrid, the 4.0-litre turbocharged V8, and the powerful 6.0-litre, 12-cylinder Speed models.

Power and performance

Bentayga S features the same renowned 4.0-litre, 32-valve, twin-scroll turbocharged V8 petrol engine, as in the regular Bentayga V8. The engine also delivers the same 550PS and 770 Nm of torque, with a 0–100 kmph time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 290 kmph. This performance is complemented by a range of 654 kms. Bentley Dynamic Ride is fitted as standard and was the world’s first electric active roll control technology that utilises a 48V system.

The system can react within 0.3s with up to 1,300 Nm of torque to counteract lateral rolling forces when cornering, ensuring maximum tyre contact to deliver class-leading cabin stability, ride comfort and exceptional handling.

Similar to the recently launched Continental GT Speed, where the boundaries of grand touring comfort versus engaging performance have been extended through chassis mode selection, the Bentayga S now offers increased capability through an enhanced SPORT mode over a standard Bentayga. In SPORT, improved steering feel, greater turn-in response and further reduced body-roll is possible due to an additional 15 per cent increase in air suspension damping and a unique Electronic Stability Control and Bentley Dynamic Ride tune.

Bentley says that a recalibration of its Torque Vectoring by Brake system – whereby the car lightly brakes the inside rear wheel at corner entry to sharpen the front axle turn-in – has made Bentayga S even more responsive to drive.

The Bentayga’s comprehensive off-road abilities remain, with the optional All-Terrain Specification bringing four dedicated off-road modes (Snow and Wet Grass, Dirt and Gravel, Mud and Trail, and Sand) along with a 500mm wading depth.