Bentley may have kept us all busy with the fascinating EXP 10 Speed Concept in Geneva, but until the Brits' two-seater fate is decided, we must once again turn our faces towards their upcoming Bentayga.
The SUV was recently spied in what appears to be its production-ready form. Most of the camouflage is gone and while the heavy body armor was, among others, meant to make the Bentayga prototype mirror the lines of the EXP 9 F Concept, we can now see the styling changes.
We'll remind you that when the concept was introduced back in 2012, the design was, at best, opinion-splitting. Crewe announced it would change the styling, but never offered us a real taste of the final design afterwards.
What meets the eye
Photo: Carpix, edited by autoevolution
Basically, the various details have been chiseled. While the EXP 9 F had rather extreme edges that were there to reinforce the Flying B identity, these have been toned down.
The side view offers an example as good as any, with the pronounced area at the top of the windshield "melting" into a more common form. The side windows follow the same story, but we still can't be sure about the third side window - since the windows of the front and rear doors now look pretty much similar to those of the Audi Q7, quite a heavy burden rests on the shoulders of the aforementioned piece of glass.
Regardless, the photo comparison images that accompany the spyshots in the gallery bellow allow you to see the metamorphosis.
While this set of spyshots doesn't bring us too deep within the cabin of the Bentley SUV, we can see the pre-production vehicle follows the concepts seating layout. The four individual seats are covered in plastic foil.
Speaking of the pair of rear seats, the space between them may represent a console, but, judging by what the concept showed, this was flat enough to allow easy transition from one side to the other - families with children will learn to appreciate that.
Cabins are Bentley's specialty and we're expecting nothing short of a lavish spectacle in there.
The Bentayga will ride on the VW Group's modular MLB platform, which has already debuted on the 2016 Audi Q7. Intelligent ultra-high-strength steel and aluminum use means the German SUV tips the scales at about 4,400 lbs (just under 2 tons). Bentley already has serious expertise when it comes to building vehicles that conceal their weight, so expect these two aspects to have a strong effect on the driving experience.
The engine compartment news hasn't fully surfaced, but we do know that the Bentayga will become Crewe's first diesel-powered vehicle, as well as their first petrol-electric development (from 2017 onwards). Oil burning matters aside, the future will see a hybrid powertrain being offered for each Bentley model line.
The Bentayga will hit the market in 2016, with Bentley currently upgrading its Crewe facility for the production of the SUV. About one third of Bentley Customers also own an SUV, so the automakers aims to grab a hefty slice of that go-anywhere pie.
Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer is a strong supported of the wide vehicle range policy and if we factor in the success Land Rover has had with the three-member Range Rover family, there's a change the Bentayga won't be Bentley's only SUV.
The side view offers an example as good as any, with the pronounced area at the top of the windshield "melting" into a more common form. The side windows follow the same story, but we still can't be sure about the third side window - since the windows of the front and rear doors now look pretty much similar to those of the Audi Q7, quite a heavy burden rests on the shoulders of the aforementioned piece of glass.
Regardless, the photo comparison images that accompany the spyshots in the gallery bellow allow you to see the metamorphosis.
On the inside
While this set of spyshots doesn't bring us too deep within the cabin of the Bentley SUV, we can see the pre-production vehicle follows the concepts seating layout. The four individual seats are covered in plastic foil.
Speaking of the pair of rear seats, the space between them may represent a console, but, judging by what the concept showed, this was flat enough to allow easy transition from one side to the other - families with children will learn to appreciate that.
Cabins are Bentley's specialty and we're expecting nothing short of a lavish spectacle in there.
The technical matters
The Bentayga will ride on the VW Group's modular MLB platform, which has already debuted on the 2016 Audi Q7. Intelligent ultra-high-strength steel and aluminum use means the German SUV tips the scales at about 4,400 lbs (just under 2 tons). Bentley already has serious expertise when it comes to building vehicles that conceal their weight, so expect these two aspects to have a strong effect on the driving experience.
The engine compartment news hasn't fully surfaced, but we do know that the Bentayga will become Crewe's first diesel-powered vehicle, as well as their first petrol-electric development (from 2017 onwards). Oil burning matters aside, the future will see a hybrid powertrain being offered for each Bentley model line.
The big picture
The Bentayga will hit the market in 2016, with Bentley currently upgrading its Crewe facility for the production of the SUV. About one third of Bentley Customers also own an SUV, so the automakers aims to grab a hefty slice of that go-anywhere pie.
Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer is a strong supported of the wide vehicle range policy and if we factor in the success Land Rover has had with the three-member Range Rover family, there's a change the Bentayga won't be Bentley's only SUV.
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