Bent on Excellence

Promising extraordinary levels of opulence and luxury, Bentley’s first SUV is a wondrous beast of power and comfort.

- Aaron Hia

Since the unveiling of its concept to the world, there has been much fanfare and rumor about Bentley’s very first SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle). As a brand that is the result of many decades of rich heritage, elegant craftsmanship and driving excellence, a lot has been riding on this project, since Bentley has always been in the business of producing some of the world’s classiest saloons and coupes.

By becoming a subsidiary of its German parent company in 1998, Bentley underwent a massive modernisation programme that not only further increased its production capacity and boosted sales figures, it also allowed Bentley to gain access into the group’s tech and chassis expertise that is now commonly shared amongst the parent company’s related brands.

With only sedans and coupes in production, the Crewe-based marque upped the stakes by announcing that it was to produce the world’s first, ultimate luxury SUV. That statement began to be taken more seriously when Bentley first previewed the EXP 9 F concept car at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. Fast forward to 2016, the Bentley Bentayga is born.

As far as luxurious SUVs go, the likes of Porsche’s Cayenne, Lexus’s RX come no where near the likes of being truly opulent and extravagant. The Bentayga has officially set the new benchmark for being an SUV that is literally, no-holds barred. Before I continue however, let me delve a beneath all those layers and start from ground-up.