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Bentley's upcoming Bentayga crossover sheds more camo

Bentley keeps edging closer and closer to launching its first SUV in the upcoming new Bentayga, and this latest batch of spy shots give us our best glimpse at the forthcoming ultra-luxury crossover yet. Spied undergoing cold-weather testing in northern Sweden, this prototype is wearing less camouflage and more of what appears to be its production bodywork than ever before. Of course, some parts remain disguised, especially around the front fenders and tail lights, but if you've been wondering what the new high-rider from Crewe will look like, this ought to give you a pretty solid idea ahead of the final form that's anticipated to debut later this year. The Bentayga will be based on the same architecture that already underpins the new Audi Q7 and is set to form the basis of the next Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne. Only Bentley is expected to offer a wide array of powertrain options, including the company's existing V8 and W12 engines and a new hybrid setup.

2019 Bentley Bentayga V8 First Drive Review | Losing cylinders but not much else

There's no such thing as a cheap Bentley. Even though the new-for-2019 Bentayga V8 is $30,000 less expensive than its W12-powered sibling, the twin-turbo V8's $165,000 window sticker still puts it well into the upper echelon of pricey luxury vehicles. Bentley is loathe to compare the two versions of the Bentayga — what parent wants to pit siblings against one another? — but does frame the V8 edition as a somewhat sportier alternative to the full-bore, glitz and glamor W12. Let's examine that line of reasoning. Under the hood of the Bentayga V8 is a 4.0-liter turbocharged engine that shares most of its bits with the latest Porsche Panamera and Cayenne Turbo. The engine is specifically tuned for use in this new application, with a unique sound signature and a cooling package that Bentley says will keep it running comfortably even in the face of the largest desert sand dunes in the world. The V8's peak of 568 pound-feet of torque hits below 2,000 rpm and stays exactly there until 4,500, with a horsepower peak of 542 at 6,000. From behind the wheel, the Bentayga's V8 engine feels a bit higher strung than the effortless W12. Instead of instant torque, there's a strong rush of power that builds nicely until it nears its 7,000-rpm redline, the highest rev limit of any engine the brand has ever installed in a passenger vehicle. If such a peaky-sounding engine seems incongruous with the intent of a luxury SUV, just know that there's plenty of stonk available any time the driver decides to push a red-bottomed Louboutin into the plush carpet. It's just a little less than what'd be on call from the W12, but there's not enough of a discrepancy to really matter. The V8 is a bit less sprightly to 60 than the W12 — 4.4 seconds versus 4.1 — and, with its 180-mile-per-hour top speed, it's a meaningless 7 mph slower at the top end, too. So, that doesn't really support the idea of sportiness. Neither too does the V8 handle any differently than the W12. There's only about a hundred pounds separating the two vehicles, with the new V8 edition weighing in at 5,264 pounds. And since only half of that weight savings is centered over the front axle, there isn't any real change to the Bentayga's driving dynamics or steering feel. That's not to say the Bentley Bentayga V8 doesn't drive well, it just doesn't drive differently than its more powerful, more expensive sibling.

Bentley considering smaller coupe

Only halfway through the year, Bentley reports that it's on track to post record sales. Thanks in no small part to the introduction of its new V8 engine in the Continental family, sales are up nearly a quarter over last year. And they only stand to increase even more with the introduction of new models currently in the pipeline. The upcoming SUV will surely form a large part of that, but it won't be the end of the story for the storied marque.
Car and Driver reports that, after the SUV, Bentley plans to introduce a new coupe line below the Continental to square off against the Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Details are few and far between at this point, but considering how much Bentley manages to do with the relatively heft Continental GT, a lighter and more nimble sports car sounds promising.
In related news, rumors are gathering pace that Bentley is planning to introduce a new Mulsanne Speed at the upcoming Paris Motor Show, its Jurassic-era 6.75-liter V8 massaged from 505 horsepower - already the most that engine has produced in its half-century history - up to around 550.