RE: Bentley Bentayga Diesel - official!
Discussion
Clivey said:
Yes; it's quite interesting driving a Land Rover on lifted suspension and coming across certain Cayenne / Q7s / X5 etc. owners. - It's as if they're quite pleased with themselves, content looking down on others until they turn a corner and see you...then some of them almost act as if they're intimidated by a taller vehicle. It's strange as I don't feel like that when I drive the Mini and see someone in a big van.
A lifted range rover is terrifying R400TVR said:
Doesn't anyone else find it sad that nearly every 'premium' car builder has decided that they simply must try and fill every possible market sector, at the expense of the brand heritage? Does Bentley need to make this monstrosity due to falling sales of its other cars? No. Does Maserati need the Kubang? No. Does Rolls Royce need is upcoming whatever? No. Surely, premium means that it's better and more exclusive than the mainstream?
A rolls troyce phantom with the long wheelbase makes sense, but an suv, noooR400TVR said:
Doesn't anyone else find it sad that nearly every 'premium' car builder has decided that they simply must try and fill every possible market sector, at the expense of the brand heritage? Does Bentley need to make this monstrosity due to falling sales of its other cars? No. Does Maserati need the Kubang? No. Does Rolls Royce need is upcoming whatever? No. Surely, premium means that it's better and more exclusive than the mainstream?
A rolls troyce phantom with the long wheelbase makes sense, but an suv, noooaustinsmirk said:
I actually saw one driving the other day and was also stuck in traffic next to it. Surprisingly its an extremely handsome car. Not ugly IMO. I don;t disagree the front needs a little work, but I'm sure they'll be a facelift in due course to sort this.
I'd say if you saw it for real, you'd have a different view to that based on internet pictures.
Certainly in the land of SUV's and 4x4's, it has some serious presence.
I too saw one the other day near Croydon, in black and to be honest it wasn't that bad to look at (colour probably helped). As stated above though it had some serious presence.I'd say if you saw it for real, you'd have a different view to that based on internet pictures.
Certainly in the land of SUV's and 4x4's, it has some serious presence.
DJM7691 said:
Lol, all very well intentioned I'm sure but if you believe that the way that Bentley looks is solely down the designers then that's very nieve.
I would go as far as to say that no road legal vehicle on sale today is as it was when the designers put their pens down; packaging, safety, aero all have their say and whilst I'm sure we could all have a decent stab at creating something that looks great, its unfair to compare.
I am well aware of the constraints and realities of car design, hence me choosing not to continue down that career path. Nevertheless, it has already been proven (by JLR, amongst others) that SUVs don't have to look utterly repulsive.I would go as far as to say that no road legal vehicle on sale today is as it was when the designers put their pens down; packaging, safety, aero all have their say and whilst I'm sure we could all have a decent stab at creating something that looks great, its unfair to compare.
TBH doing a few sketches with pen and paper, my main problem is that my designs are too similar to the Range Rover Sport (first gen). - That and the L322 Range Rover manage to solve the question of how to integrate round headlights into a modern SUV. The Bentley corporate face looks awful when grafted on to any design and it's that, much more than anything else, that makes the Bentayga look so terrible. The proportions aren't too bad at all, it's the detailing that's inducing the vomit.
MDL111 said:
Jim AK said:
MDL111 said:
It is not always about being able to afford the petrol, stoppiing at a petrol station every 300km can be annoying / costs quite a bit of time.
Oh please stop it!!I've been fortunate enough to drive a Bentley Arnage, a GTC & a Range Rover to various places in the South of France & Spain over the years & never once has stopping for fuel been an issue either for me, if on my own, or going with the 'Powerfully built' one.
FYI. The tanks on the Bentley's & the Range Rover were all 20 gallons, give or take, & we would stop for fuel every 4 hours.
Sorry for typos
It's just a golly of an argument in the man math's arsenal. Diesels really are like modern Eco turbos. About being more affordable on a monthly cost basis for a larger demographic. The premium end of the market learnt long ago that they can't survive on just a Rolodex of genuinely wealthy clients but must adjust the product within the brand ethos to attract sales from bigger audiences. And obviously, if either were as superior in experience terms as a petrol NA then the industry would be spending money on making petrol NA engines sound and behave like diesels, except they are doing the opposite from as much sound deadening as possible to exhaust fakery etc.
At the premium end the diesel is all about shifting higher volumes not catering to strange minority whims of a few existing customers.
I've seen a couple of them on the road now, and don't think they look as bad as some people are making out.
I admit they're not to my taste, if I was in the market for a brand new high end 4x4 I'd buy a Range Rover and have a nice chunk of change.
What is impressive though is the performance, 4.8 seconds 0-60 for a diesel 4x4, that's a great engine by the sound of it.
I don't get why Bentley are being criticised for building it really, they're a private company who are out to make money, the demand is quite clearly there, people had a similar reaction when Porsche bought out the Cayenne, now it's a common and accepted sight on the roads, I think that's how the Bentayga will be in a few years too.
I wonder if that engine will make it into the Flying Spur.
I admit they're not to my taste, if I was in the market for a brand new high end 4x4 I'd buy a Range Rover and have a nice chunk of change.
What is impressive though is the performance, 4.8 seconds 0-60 for a diesel 4x4, that's a great engine by the sound of it.
I don't get why Bentley are being criticised for building it really, they're a private company who are out to make money, the demand is quite clearly there, people had a similar reaction when Porsche bought out the Cayenne, now it's a common and accepted sight on the roads, I think that's how the Bentayga will be in a few years too.
I wonder if that engine will make it into the Flying Spur.
Edited by Walter Sobchak on Saturday 24th September 20:13
If I could afford one of these I would buy the full fat version and use something else for long motorway drives. I can see why a diesel model was introduced, as it will result in more sales. However, I think buyers of the top version will see the diesel as the lesser model, which of course it is.
Have I got the last word on this? Having read a good few of the comments it dawned on me that diesel is not the problem here. If I were a loyal Bentley buyer I would be feeling a bit bemused. How will you feel driving your more usual Bentley seeing these things being a relatively common sight? I know exactly how I would feel, just like I feel seeing front wheel drive BMW MPV's - sick! The brand I am loyal to is ditching their brand values so they make lots more money. I have the distinct impression that if anyone in VW who is responsible can for this car has read this post they will probably think we are a bunch of idiots who will never be able to buy this car in the first instance and our opinion is irrelevant.
Rearwheel said:
The italians were 30 years early.
I've seen loads of Bentaygas testing around the coutry roads near Crewe. They have grown on me. They have so much presence and don't hide what they are.
https://youtu.be/XI4AvCECSuE
Not to mention tge A2
austinsmirk said:
I actually saw one driving the other day and was also stuck in traffic next to it. Surprisingly its an extremely handsome car. Not ugly IMO. I don;t disagree the front needs a little work, but I'm sure they'll be a facelift in due course to sort this.
I'd say if you saw it for real, you'd have a different view to that based on internet pictures.
Certainly in the land of SUV's and 4x4's, it has some serious presence.
Have to agree with this, I saw one driving past a showroom some months ago and I thought it didn't look much, then I saw one up close and it really didn't look at all bad. I hated it in the pictures, they do nothing for it. I'd say if you saw it for real, you'd have a different view to that based on internet pictures.
Certainly in the land of SUV's and 4x4's, it has some serious presence.
Jim AK said:
Ares said:
But for some it is. The guys I know that have the Bentayga struggle to see more than 200 miles per tank. Any decent run and they have to stop for fuel, every owner I know (three) has mentioned in.
Christ!! That isn't too good, does it have a smaller tank than a GTC/Spur then?If it's the 20 gallon tank that's in those then that's 10mpg, must be mostly town work surely? I see about 12 average in the W12 GTC & 15 from the V8 Spur for town/A & B road stuff. Single figures for both if in Central London.
Disregarding the headline MPG figure of the diesel, attained in false circumstances, I'd think mid to late 20's on a run & not that much difference between petrol & diesel in town if my experience of V6 petrol v diesel Mercs is anything to go by.
I wonder what MPG of a V10 Phaeton v a V10 Touraeg. V8 diesel Range Rover isn't overly economical either.
Still wouldn't want the DERV Bentley
& I know my leader certainly wouldn't....... Might spill the stuff on his Gucci loafers!!belleair302 said:
With the huge fines the US wants from the VW group, billions of $$$ and no more VW diesels in the USA the group needs to make money somehow, somewhere. For VW bentley is a band name to be used to rebadged cars....I think BMW shows more respect to the RR name and history.
I dont get this, the Bentleys made now are better in every way than the ones people laud like Turbo R's etcAll this about "Footballers" Bentleys with the Conti GT, do proper ones have to be not as fast, less cylinders, less driven wheels, more expensive, less well made and less reliable or something ?
To me, the more modern Bentleys take the modern economies of scale, development, production, subsystems etc of the mainstream, adds a bespoke bodystyle and then adds back in the craftsmanship and ends up with a product that is at least as luxurious as anything else out there.
Sure, you can pay more for a Bentley, but is the Mulsanne better ? or just more expensive/exclusive/different/traditional ? if it is I am sure I could manage to slum it in a Bentayga, Spur or Continental until I became one of the cognoscenti who could appreciate the difference, rather than just deciding that the ones with any VAG content are s
t and only the original article would do for me.Do owners of eight grand elderly 80s Bentleys really look down their nose at brand new ones ? I can appreciate an 80s Bentley but lets be realistic, its a bit of an old woofer that will more than likely bankrupt you !
I know a guy who drives an Arnage and a Conti Speed as a hired driver, says the Conti is head and shoulders better to drive, took me for a spin in the latter, what a piece of kit.
Edited by J4CKO on Monday 26th September 17:29
J4CKO said:
I dont get this, the Bentleys made now are better in every way than the ones people laud like Turbo R's etc
All this about "Footballers" Bentleys with the Conti GT, do proper ones have to be not as fast, less cylinders, less driven wheels, more expensive, less well made and less reliable or something ?
To me, the more modern Bentleys take the modern economies of scale, development, production, subsystems etc of the mainstream, adds a bespoke bodystyle and then adds back in the craftsmanship and ends up with a product that is at least as luxurious as anything else out there.
Sure, you can pay more for a Bentley, but is the Mulsanne better ? or just more expensive/exclusive/different/traditional ? if it is I am sure I could manage to slum it in a Bentayga, Spur or Continental until I became one of the cognoscenti who could appreciate the difference, rather than just deciding that the ones with any VAG content are st and only the original article would do for me.
Do owners of eight grand elderly 80s Bentleys really look down their nose at brand new ones ? I can appreciate an 80s Bentley but lets be realistic, its a bit of an old woofer that will more than likely bankrupt you !
I know a guy who drives an Arnage and a Conti Speed as a hired driver, says the Conti is head and shoulders better to drive, took me for a spin in the latter, what a piece of kit.
Pretty spot on analysis there J4CKO. All this about "Footballers" Bentleys with the Conti GT, do proper ones have to be not as fast, less cylinders, less driven wheels, more expensive, less well made and less reliable or something ?
To me, the more modern Bentleys take the modern economies of scale, development, production, subsystems etc of the mainstream, adds a bespoke bodystyle and then adds back in the craftsmanship and ends up with a product that is at least as luxurious as anything else out there.
Sure, you can pay more for a Bentley, but is the Mulsanne better ? or just more expensive/exclusive/different/traditional ? if it is I am sure I could manage to slum it in a Bentayga, Spur or Continental until I became one of the cognoscenti who could appreciate the difference, rather than just deciding that the ones with any VAG content are s
t and only the original article would do for me.Do owners of eight grand elderly 80s Bentleys really look down their nose at brand new ones ? I can appreciate an 80s Bentley but lets be realistic, its a bit of an old woofer that will more than likely bankrupt you !
I know a guy who drives an Arnage and a Conti Speed as a hired driver, says the Conti is head and shoulders better to drive, took me for a spin in the latter, what a piece of kit.
Edited by J4CKO on Monday 26th September 17:29
One of my bosses went from an Arnage T to a W12 GTC about 3 years ago, absolutely loves it & it is so much more reliable & cheaper to service than the T, we always used to joke at service time it was due it`s `Annual refit` The Arnage cost a small fortune in repairs, as did his previous Mulsanne `S` & Turbo RT.
Other boss has a Flying Spur V8, got into that from a W12 Spur, & we both think it is a better steer than the GTC maybe an unfair comparison due to the compromise of a convertible over a saloon but it goes well enough, ok it doesn't sound as good, you need the V8`S` for that, the finish is the same as a W12, equipment level appears the same & as far as i'm aware the only external difference is the shape of the tailpipes & red badges on the V8 or black on the W12!
The latest Mulsanne is an entirely different animal. Its old tech mechanically original 6.75 V8, granted it's heavily reworked RWD only has a much smaller boot than the Spur although it does seem to have a more upper class feel to it inside, could have had special leather or something, but after being lucky enough to get to use one we had as a demo for a few days I found it to be quite cumbersome compared to any Conti I`d ever driven, I even think the Arnage T was better tbh.
I remember a few years ago I worked a few times for a friend of one of my bosses who had a Continental Speed & a Mulsanne, as one does!. He always said the Speed was for driving, he used it as his daily, but The Mulsanne for arriving!
Neither of my bosses want a Bentayga using any fuel but both have driven them at demo days & say they are quite incredible bearing in mind the size & weight etc.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff