The very things some people hate about the Bentley Bentayga are what make it good. It's a statement that says, "I'm at a point in my life where I can afford this super-powerful and expensive SUV." But what if that statement could have been made in the 1970s? We're about to explore that possibility with the help of a rendering and the video which describes its creation.
It's easy to fall into the trap of being anti-Bentayga. The SUV looks like no other Bentley before it, and it's designed to stand out. Its price puts it out of reach for most car buyers, so envy also plays a big part. But in their quest to demonize gas-guzzling exotic 4x4s, people ignore the fact that old Bentleys were also "in your face" statements of wealth and prestige.
Before the era of wraps and Forgiato wheels, legendary rock stars liked buying British luxury limos from Bentley and Rolls-Royce. We can't imagine people hearing of Elton John's pink custom Phantom and saying, "Well, that's completely normal. So what if he has a pink version of the Queen's ride?"
Anyway, digital artist TheSketchMonkey has created an interesting mashup of the Bentayga and an old Bentley model called the T-series. The latter was made in the United Kingdom from 1965 up until 1980, available in two wheelbases. It's obviously not going to look anything like the now legendary sports SUV, which makes this more interesting. The body of the Bentayga gets dressed up with simpler, boxy lines and old-fashioned lights, plus a lot of chrome trim. No 23-inch wheels or carbon fiber trim here either!
And putting all those vintage elements onto the 2021 ride makes it resemble a wedding car. There's something about an older British car with lots of leather, wood, and chrome that just makes it great for such events. This makes you wonder what people will want for weddings in 2077... a Cullinan or a Tesla Model X?
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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