Bentley Bentayga 'super' coupe-SUV in the works
A faster, more aerodynamic version of the Bentley Bentayga is due in 2016 and set to take SUVs to a whole new level
Bentley is planning to launch a faster, sleeker-looking version of the Bentley Bentayga SUV, with the company also planning a new sports car to add to the range. The new SUV will be along the lines of the BMW X6M, according to Bentley insiders, though it'll be more expensive and faster than that car.
The Bentayga coupe-SUV will make its debut in 2017, and may even appear in concept guise as early as the Geneva Motor Show in March. Our exclusive image shows how the new hot Bentley could look, complete with sloping coupe-style roofline and bulging wheelarches.
Bentley product line director Peter Guest said the new car will be “much more biased towards on-road performance. But it will still have four doors and four seats”. He added: “It might not have as much luggage space as the Bentayga. But it will be much more aggressively styled, a lot faster, a lot more dramatic.”
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We expect the new model to use an uprated version of the existing car’s 6.0-litre W12. It’ll get bigger bumpers, bigger wheels and a sportier stance, while also being less bluff and more aerodynamic. This will help shave precious tenths off the Bentayga’s already-impressive four-second 0-62mph sprint time. A 200mph top speed isn’t out the question, either.
The coupe-SUV will build on the success of the new Bentayga, which has surpassed all initial sales expectations, despite a starting price (before options) of more than £160,000. A long list of extras is likely, including 22-inch wheels, a sports exhaust and firmer suspension set-ups.
Inside, we expect the sloping roofline to marginally affect headroom, while the Bentayga’s 430-litre boot may suffer. But that’s unlikely to affect sales, though, as proven by BMW’s X6.
As well as the super Bentayga, Bentley has its sights set on an all-electric hypercar. Both cars will debut “some time next year”. The first may even appear in concept guise as early as March’s Geneva Motor Show.
In the meantime, Bentley has also confirmed that there will be two further versions of the regular Bentayga: one powered by a VW Group turbodiesel, and another with petrol/electric hybrid power. Both will go on sale in the next 12-18 months, once deliveries of the W12-engined cars have begun in March. The first-ever Bentayga is due to roll off the production line in Crewe, Cheshire, at noon on Friday, 27 November.
How do you feel about the prospect of a Bentley Bentayga coupe-SUV? Let us know below...
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