The first production Bentley Bentayga has rolled off the assembly line at Bentley’s Crewe headquarters, and driven straight on to its Heritage Collection.
More than just a new model, the Bentayga is Bentley’s first ever SUV, and is expected to result in a significant increase in sales volumes for the British marque. Since its debut as a concept in 2011, it has also helped to create 1,500 jobs and been responsible for an £840m investment programme.
Taking 130 hours to assemble – including many where it was worked on by hand – the first Bentayga was finished in Anthracite. It boasts a 6.0-litre W12 engine with 600bhp and a 0-60mph time of 4.1 seconds, making it the world’s most powerful SUV.
Starting from £160,200 the Bentayga is arguably the most luxurious SUV ever seen too, with a choice of seven different wood veneers for the interior and 15 colours for the upholstery, along with 22-way adjusting and massaging seats.
Of course, being a Bentley, there’s also the possibility of choosing from a wide range of optional extras, including a solid gold Breitling clock and a hamper equipped with Linley china.
And, if you can afford all this, the 22mpg fuel consumption and 292g/km of CO2 emissions are likely to be a major stumbling block.
It has also been rumoured that an early production Bentayga will be delivered to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II after the Queen put a prototype version through its paces around the Balmoral estate and was suitably impressed.
