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Bentley Bentayga Diesel Spotted on the Road, Looks Ready for Paris Debut

We've talked about the Bentley Bentayga bringing the Flying B mascot on top of a diesel engine for the first time since W.O. Bentley founded the company in 1919 and here we are, bringing you the spyshots of the oil-burning SUV.
Bentley Bentayga Diesel 9 photos
Photo: CarPix
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At first, this might seem like your normal Bentayga (keep in mind that such a definition of "normal" currently involves a 6.0-liter W12), but the license plates tell a different story.

Before blurring the plates due to legal reasons, we ran them through the UK's DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency), with the public system confirming this is a diesel vehicle using a 3,956cc powerplant.

You should also pay attention to the tailpipes, which now feature a smaller middle section compared to the plain-oval shape of the W12 model's pipes.

This only comes to confirm the previous talk about the diesel Bentayga borrowing the Audi SQ7's V8. When motivating the Ingolstadt SUV, the vee-eight delivers 429 hp and (900 Nm) 663 lb-ft of twist.

And while those figures might increase in the Bentley-ization process, it's the way in which the 4.8-second 0 to 60 mph time is achieved that matters more.

First of all, the V8, which delivers its maximum torque between 1,000 and 3,250 rpm, features a 48V electric compressor, which helps its (exhaust gas-fed) twin turbos - with a response time of 250ms (around the average blinking time).

In another tech-fetishy move, the 4.0-liter engine features the first application of AVS, Audi's valvelift system, for a diesel unit. To be more specific, there are two cam profiles for each intake and exhaust camshaft: the first is used for the electric compressor working with the first turbocharged to deliver low-rpm grunt, while the second sees the other turbo joining the action.

While the SQ7 does come with a European cycle average fuel efficiency of 7.4l/100 km (make that 31.8 US mpg), the trick for the Bentayga is the omnipresent torque, not the gas station-repelling asset.

Even so, the chances of the Bentley Bentayga Diesel (the name is not official) making it to America are slim. We could find out more on this topic in one month from now, as the British behemoth is expected to make its debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.

P.S.: Those seeking gas-only Bentayga developments should check out the Speed version that has recently been caught on camera while lapping the Nurburgring.
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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