MOTORING

is better Sometimes smaller

The Bentley Bentayga of old has always had the creamy-smooth, yet hugely powerful, 6.0-litre W12 engine under the bonnet, producing huge swathes of torque, a huge top speed but with a somewhat disappointing mile per gallon figure. But that has changed thanks to a makeover towards the end of last year and a new V8 has been added to the range, with a V6 plug-in hybrid also available. Motoring journalist Nick Jones tries out the latest petrol variant.

Having just the 542

horsepower, the Bentley has the ability to run on just four of its eight cylinders (two from each bank that shut down) on a lightened right foot, and thus enabling it to have a dramatic effect on fuel returns and emissions.

These days, the twin-turbo V8 needs all that power to push the Bentley’s vast bulk around and have a torque figure of nearly 600lb-ft at just over 1,950 revs per minute. Despite it having twin blowers, there is no turbo lag whatsoever – just a seamless, effortless amount of power.

Talking of which, it still harnesses to the road via a rear-biased fourwheel drive set-up that gives Crewe’s supercar a handy, welcome advantage when the going gets slippy. The Bentayga still uses the eight-speed transmission built by ZF and can be used as a full automatic or by paddles behind the steering wheel.

Top speed for the new V8 here is 180mph, with 60 taking a scant 4.4 seconds. But it’s the fuel savings that is the real plus-point here; the previous W12 would see single figures quite easily when pushing hard, perhaps mid-teens on a decent run. Here, the V8 still has all the power and panache an engine must have to be installed in a Bentley, yet delivers a commendable 21 miles to the gallon, with the emission figure set at 302g/km – which sees it at the top of the company car tax bracket.

I just love the styling cues the V8 has too – the front grilles are menacingly apt, and if you were to raid the options list, you could have larger alloy wheels with styling cues both inside and out to really personalise the car.

The fit and finish is exemplary, of course, and the signature “floating” LED lamps extend around the wings, giving meaning to the car’s purposeful, somewhat wide stance.

The hand-crafted interior remains sumptuous with acres of veneer, leather and woods; the fascia has been designed with a notion of symmetry, the centre console rising up to divide two epic paths of veneer, resembling the Bentley logo itself.

FACTFILE

MODEL

Bentley Bentayga V8

PRICE OTR

From £151,830

PERFORMANCE

Top speed: 180 miles per hour 0-60 mph: 4.4 seconds

CO2 EMISSIONS

302g/km

COMBINEDMPG

21.2 mpg