Every self-respecting luxury auto manufacturer has a SUV in its portfolio. Of course, there are many types of SUVs as well as many levels: levels of performance, artisanship, elegance… and luxury.
And those qualities are precisely what Bentley offers the discerning driver when slipping behind the wheel of the Bentayga S. The Bentayga name is certainly not new, given that Bentley first unveiled this model in 2015. According to reports, Bentayga is a name created from the union of the first three letters of the brand and “Taiga,” the world’s largest transcontinental coniferous forest, just south of the Arctic Circle. There is also the volcanic rock formation called Roque Bentayga at the heart of the island of Gran Canaria. Whether Bentley was envisioning the immense forest or the mysterious volcano, they do not say.
What is immediately apparent, and certainly doesn’t need to be stated, is that the Bentayga S is filled with character as well as all the features that inspire drivers to tackle the spectrum of on-road and off-road conditions, be they tundra, mountains, boreal forests, or lava fields. Take a deep, long look at it on its own, the impression it gives is that of an aggressive, powerful, and elegant car. Take another look at it next to other cars -- including many other SUVs -- it is its size which stands out above all else. The Bentayga S is truly imposing.
Several details distinguish it from the base model. The bodywork is the same, but the chrome finishes have disappeared, all the profiles and grilles are high-gloss black. The S is enhanced with an elongated, sportier rear spoiler along with the very original 22-inch rims revealing the red-colored disc brake calipers.
The side surfaces of the bodywork are very curvy, which downplay its height. This is the optimal schematic possible when designing a vehicle 5.14 meters in length and 1.73 meters in height. Anything else would be aesthetically heavy. Overall, the front end is beautiful. Here, too, it’s animated with aggressive air presses as well as the motif that distinguishes the lower grille from the typical Bentley grille. The oval headlights, rimmed in high-glass black, also reflect the style of the entire range of the Bentley brand and integrate very well with the curved surfaces of the sides.
