What's all this about?
The mighty Bentley Bentayga was recently significantly facelifted and updated, with the first model out of the, er, Hat of Freshness being the V8 4.0-litre derivative. Soon after that, the flagship W12 6.0-litre Speed came in for the same treatment and so now it's time for the 'eco-champ' of the range to make its appearance. This is the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, 2021MY.
Wait a sec, eco-champ? Seriously?
Well, eco by the Bentayga's thirsty standards, for sure. Pre-facelift, there was also a Hybrid model for buyers to go at and the new one is no different from a technical standpoint: same 3.0-litre biturbo V6 up front with 340hp/450Nm, same 94kW (129hp)/350Nm electric motor sandwiched between the petrol engine and the eight-speed gearbox in the middle, same 17.3kWh lithium-ion battery pack housed somewhere in the back. And yes, if you're working all this out and thinking it sounds a bit too beefy for an MHEV or similar, then know that the Bentayga Hybrid is actually a plug-in hybrid, with the capability of travelling on its electric power alone.
Weighing in at the far side of 2.6 tonnes and propelled by the physically smallest engine (in terms of swept capacity) in Bentley's long and storied history, performance is brisk rather than bonkers: despite respectable powertrain overall numbers of 449hp and 700Nm, 0-62mph should take 5.5 seconds and the top speed is 158mph. Eco-stats haven't been confirmed yet, although there's a good bet that the new Hybrid will eclipse the old Hybrid's numbers of 80.7mpg and 79g/km, mainly because Bentley claims improved electric-only driving range, which will in turn improve the economy and emissions on the WLTP cycle. A shame, then, that we can't tell you the Bentayga's WLTP EV range, as Bentley only quotes its NEDC figure of 31 miles. That's an increase from the old model's 24.2-mile theoretical maximum on the same test cycle, while the Crewe crew also claims a combined cruising range of 536 miles for the 2021MY SUV; again, that's NEDC, not WLTP, so you're not likely to achieve either of these figures in the real world. Mind, as the Diesel Bentayga has now bit the dust, you've got no other choice if you're trying to save some fuel in your mega-luxury machine than going for the Hybrid V6, instead of the petrol V8 or W12 alternatives.
Is that all there is to say about the Hybrid, then?
Well, apart from the fact it gets the new, sleeker looks of the facelifted Bentayga on the outside, as well as the improved interior within - complete with its 10.9-inch infotainment system and lovely digital instrument pack. The only other titbit of goss is that this is the first of two Bentley PHEVs launching this year, so it's all bets taken on which will be the next model to get the part-electric treatment out of the Continental GT and the Flying Spur. We'll plump for the latter; it would seem to be easier to house all the hybrid running magubbins in the larger body of the saloon than it would be to install it in the coupe or convertible cars, without making significant compromises.
Matt Robinson - 4 Jan 2021