RE: Bentley SUV To Inherit 'Lightweight' Platform

RE: Bentley SUV To Inherit 'Lightweight' Platform

Friday 12th August 2011

Bentley SUV To Inherit 'Lightweight' Platform

Okay, so it's not Lotus-like lightness, but VW Group's Large SUV's to go on a 200-400kg diet



With the VW Group's next large SUV platform to spawn a top-end Bentley (as VW's Crewe offshoot guns for 30,000 sales a year) you might be forgiven for expecting the next Q7, Cayenne (and whatever the Bentley is called) to be a bit of a biffer.

But weight loss is key to efficiency, and the next Q7 is set to lose up to 300kg (or about the weight of two very large fellows) thanks to the use of Audi-developed aluminium spaceframe technology.

That should peg the Audi at a smidgen over two tonnes. Its Porsche and Bentley siblings, meanwhile, could save around 200kg using the same underpinnings.

So while we can hardly call them light weight, at least the kerb weight seems to be going in the right direction. But as for the reports currently doing the rounds that the Bentley SUV will get a V8 turbodiesel, we'll leave it up to you lot as to what you think about that...

Author
Discussion

thewheelman

Original Poster:

2,194 posts

172 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
From day one i've not liked the direction VW have been taking Bentley. No doubt profits are up, which is great for them. But the image has suffered somewhat. From a brand that used to ooze class, it now shouts chav with a bit of money. No doubt this'll be in rap videos & the car park of premiership footballers training grounds.

Edited by thewheelman on Friday 12th August 13:01

Bill Carr

2,234 posts

233 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
What a car for our times.

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
Just what the world needs at the moment, a Bentley badged Q7, for those who find the Q7 that bit too small and inoffensive biggrin


PhilboSE

4,323 posts

225 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
I'll probably buy that (V8 diesel Bentley). There isn't a real premium car in the 7-seater category, the Q7 is as good as it gets but something with a plusher interior wouldn't go amiss. The current V8 diesel pulls even the 2.5 tonne Q7 around quite well (though it can't get 30mpg under almost any conditions); a more powerful/eco version of the same engine with 300kg-400kg less to haul around would be much nicer still.

PhilboSE

4,323 posts

225 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
Just what the world needs at the moment, a Bentley badged Q7, for those who find the Q7 that bit too small and inoffensive biggrin
Any car can be offensive. However, for those of us who regularly haul around a large family with luggage something like the Q7 is mandated. And if someone would like a more luxurious interior than a standard Audi, why shouldn't there be something available for us? When I was shopping for my 7-seater I bemoaned the fact that the premium manufacturers were missing a trick by not catering for that segment.

8vFTW

415 posts

152 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
I can't wait to see how utterly hideous this beasty will be. However I'm sure they will shift plenty of them, regardless of the looks there will be loads of people out there who want a "SUV" with a Bentley badge on it.

Is it only a matter of time before RR take the plunge and churn out a chelsea tractor?

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

203 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
I hope my rich and not so bright neighbour buys one

I enjoyed pulling her Q7 out of the snow with a 12 year old ford focus

Chicane-UK

3,861 posts

184 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
I can't even begin to think how bad it's going to look. Lets face it, the Continental isn't exactly a pretty car!

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
I'm quite surprised they didn't do this a long time ago. I would have thought there would be plenty of super-rich landed gentry types who would want a nice comfortable vehicle for pootling around their country estate.

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

203 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
kambites said:
I'm quite surprised they didn't do this a long time ago. I would have thought there would be plenty of super-rich landed gentry types who would want a nice comfortable vehicle for pootling around their country estate.
yeah but they normally choose a 20 year old volvo/subaru/defender with straw in the boot

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
PhilboSE said:
Any car can be offensive. However, for those of us who regularly haul around a large family with luggage something like the Q7 is mandated. And if someone would like a more luxurious interior than a standard Audi, why shouldn't there be something available for us? When I was shopping for my 7-seater I bemoaned the fact that the premium manufacturers were missing a trick by not catering for that segment.
Sure they are wonderful and serve a purpose but there are tonnes of badly driven white ones around here.

I don't know why all the premium seven seaters need to be massive off roaders, we looked at the XC90 but ended up with a Galaxy, had an ML for a bit but I guess anything premium is a 4wd or a merc van with windows.

Edited by J4CKO on Friday 12th August 13:25

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
thinfourth2 said:
yeah but they normally choose a 20 year old volvo/subaru/defender with straw in the boot
Well yes, but that might be because there wasn't really another option. I wasn't suggesting that they would dispense with the straw.

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

203 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
kambites said:
thinfourth2 said:
yeah but they normally choose a 20 year old volvo/subaru/defender with straw in the boot
Well yes, but that might be because there wasn't really another option. I wasn't suggesting that they would dispense with the straw.
I think if one was offered with straw and a smell of wet dogs with a few dents the landed gentry might buy them.

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
thinfourth2 said:
I think if one was offered with straw and a smell of wet dogs with a few dents the landed gentry might buy them.
I'm sure it's easy enough to add those as aftermarket extras after purchase.

legalknievel

352 posts

196 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
Footballers and carousel fraudsters everywhere are salivating. How long after release will it be before aftermarket tuners give it that final sheen of class with a set of 24 inch chrome rims, a PS3 and seven TVs?

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
Funny how people ignore the common platform on these but Buy an X tyoe and everyone will tell you you bought a Mondeo, buy a Saab and evryone say its a Vauxhall Viva or something !

So, you buy a "Bentley" and its actually the modern equivalent of the Galaxy, Alhambra and Sharan

Alfa numeric

3,021 posts

178 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
kambites said:
I'm quite surprised they didn't do this a long time ago. I would have thought there would be plenty of super-rich landed gentry types who would want a nice comfortable vehicle for pootling around their country estate.
It was done a long time ago, but only for a special customer. The Bentley Dominator was based on the '94 Range Rover.


P4ROT

1,219 posts

192 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
WOW that's like the weight of a whole American!

thewheelman

Original Poster:

2,194 posts

172 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
P4ROT said:
WOW that's like the weight of a whole American!
Only if weighed before breakfast.

RichB

51,433 posts

283 months

Friday 12th August 2011
quotequote all
Just what we need, yet another hideous, gross 4x4 monster for the gansta' rap, I'm bigger then you fk off society we've become.

Just what did families do before these disguised trucks were conceived? rolleyes