Tayga Tayga Burning bright

Bentley’s most successful car since the Continental, the Bentayga has been given a touch-up that brings in some updates and adds 180mm to the wheelbase. We hop in the driver’s seat and in the back and tell you what six crores worth of SUV feels like

- Dipayan Dutta

In a world that is renouncing sedans in favour of the more practical SUV, the Bentayga EWB now sits in the flagship space for the brand once occupied by the Mulsanne. The car you see on these pages, now mildly updated since its launch in 2015, is the most premium car with a Bentley badge you can buy today. For Bentley though, the Bentayga was exactly what the doctor ordered and in eight-odd years, the Bentayga alone now accounts for 40 per cent of the brand’s sales.

The Bentayga is based on the Volkswagen group’s MLB EVO platform that it shares with the Porsche Cayenne and the Lamborghini Urus, both of which are significantly less expensive than the Rs 6 crore Bentayga. So the question we are trying to answer today is whether the eight years and 180mm and the timeless opulence of the cabin are enough to justify the eye-watering premium.

The EWB variant boasts an additional 180mm in length compared to the standard Bentayga, measuring in at a total length of 5,322mm. What stands out despite the EWB’s elongated profile is how it maintains a sense of proportion and elegance. At the front, the signature quad headlamps greet you, featuring a crystal effect that imparts a charming jewel-like shine even when unlit. Chrome accents are prominent, notably the wide vertical slat front grille in the Azure variant and the diamond pattern in the bumper, enhancing the Bentayga’s visual appeal. The 22-inch, 10-spoke alloys complement the elongated SUV gracefully. Upon closer inspection, the rear door stands out, with Bentley allocating the entire 180mm extension to the second row, resulting in a significantly lengthened rear.