Bentley Bentayga Le Mans Edition Is A Blacked-Out Beast

If Batman ever needs an SUV, look no further than Kahn's Bentley Bentayga Le Mans Edition.

As the world’s fastest, most powerful, and most expensive SUV on sale in the US (at least until the Lamborghini Urus enters the fray) few would argue that the bemouth that is the Bentley Bentayga is in desperate need of being spruced up by an aftermarket tuner. British tuner Kahn Automotive disagrees, however, and has released a new appearance package for the luxury SUV. Dubbed the Bentley Bentayga Le Mans Edition, the SUV has been blacked-out for a more menacing look.

At the front, Kahn has fitted the Bentayga with a new carbon bumper spoiler, front grille, and bumper side sills. A rear spoiler has been added to the trunk, and the exhaust has also been given the blacked-out treatment with a high-gloss shadow finish. The exterior is finished in a striking black satin, complemented with a set of black 23-inch “Le Mans” wheels designed in-house by company founder Afzal Kahn. The all-black theme continues inside, with an opulent cabin coated in 3D Herringbone perforated leather, which has also been applied to the steering wheel, door panels, and door handle surrounds.

Customers will be able to customize the cabin with a plethora of premium materials, including quilted nappa leather and alcantara. Despite the race-inspired name implying that the Bentayga is packing extra performance to make the SUV more suited to the track, Kahn hasn’t made any mechanical modifications to the Bentayga. Not that it needed any, mind you – the Bentayga is still the fastest SUV in the world thanks to its 6.0-liter W12 engine delivering 600 horsepower and 663 lb-ft. But naming an upgrade package after a world-famous endurance racing series and not offering any performance advantages seems a bit misleading.

Still, the blacked-out SUV wouldn’t look out of place in Bruce Wayne’s garage as a luxurious SUV alternative to the Batmobile. He could certainly afford it: the Bentley Bentayga Le Mans Edition is currently being sold as a one-off for $227,734. If that sounds surprisingly cheap for an upgraded Bentayga, that’s because it’s based on the 4.0-liter V8 diesel model, but Kahn is also offering the upgrade for the W12-powered model.

The New Bentley Bentayga V8 Features The World’s Biggest Brakes

The smaller engine will make the V8 Bentayga cheaper than the flagship W12 model, but still by no means “affordable”.

When the Bentley Bentayga was first revealed in 2016, it set a new benchmark for performance and luxury in SUVs. At the time, it was the fastest SUV in the world before the Lamborghini Urus arrived on the scene last year. Bentley has now expanded the Bentayga range with a new V8 gasoline model, and while it isn’t a rival to the Urus in terms of performance, it should at least be cheaper than the extortionate W12 model - but still by no means what we would consider “affordable.”

No price has been revealed, but if you have to ask you clearly won't be able to afford it. Featuring a 4.0-liter displacement and a pair of turbochargers, the latest addition to the Bentayga family develops 542 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque. That may pale in comparison to the 6.0-liter W12 you get in the flagship model, but it’s still more powerful than the V8 in the previous Continental GT and has the same output as the Porsche Panamera Turbo. No prizes for guessing where the engine was sourced from, then. All that power is sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF, sending 60 percent of the torque to the rear axle.

The new V8-powered Bentayga can hit 0-62 mph in 4.4 seconds and tops out at 180 mph, compared to the four second sprint time and 187 mph top speed of its twelve-cylinder counterpart. In terms of design, the new V8 version of the Bentayga looks practically identical to its W12 and TDI siblings. It inherits the quad exhaust from the TDI, and can be specified with optional carbon ceramic brakes for the first time. According to the automaker, these are the largest brake discs to ever be installed in a Bentley and the largest front brake system available on any production car, measuring 440 mm with ten-piston calipers at the front and 370 mm at the back.

Red brake calipers for the regular iron brakes emphasise the Bentayga V8’s performance. 11 wheel designs are available, including an all-new 22-inch five-spoke design with black painted and polished finish. Inside, the V8 Bentayga’s swanky hand-crafted cabin has been updated with a new high-gloss carbon fiber trim replacing traditional veneer surfaces, along with an optional wood and hide trimmed steering wheel. There’s also a new “Cricket Ball” color option for the leather seats “inspired by the traditional and instantly appealing deep chestnut hue of a new cricket ball”, as well as a choice of 15 interior colours and five two-tone themes.

Instead Of The Bentayga, This Is The Off-Roader Bentley Should Have Built

We'd love to blast around in this off-road Continental.

Usually, the only time we get to see exotic cars modified for off-road use is in rendering art. Sometimes, there is a rich person out there who is crazy enough to build an off-road monster out of something expensive and exotic. Bentley built the Bentayga to help cater to the SUV-crazed market, but it does have some off-road cred. Even though it can handle itself, most Bentayga owners will never take their SUV off-road. This is precisely why if it were our money, we'd forget about the Bentayga and buy this custom Continental GT instead.

This off-road creation is based on a 2004 Continental GT. The car is currently for sale in the Netherlands by Classic Youngtimers. No price is listed, but the car currently has 85,166 km (around 53,000 miles) on the odometer. We wonder if those were "gentle" miles. The dealership has added extensive modifications to turn this Bentley into an off-road warrior. Custom additions include: a 3-inch lift, modified air suspension, front stabilizer, custom fender flares, roof rack, LED roof lights, custom roof-mounted spare-wheel, custom rear skid plate, matte black grill, custom exhaust and various other upgrades.

Theoretically, the Continental GT should be an excellent off-road car. The 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 produces 552 horsepower and 472 lb-ft of torque going out to all-wheel-drive. Even with 20-inch wheels wrapped in all terrain tires, this Bentley should still be a beast on the street and off-road. Why buy a Bentayga and park next to all of the other rich people in their Cayennes and Range Rovers when you could have something truly unique?

Bentley Bentayga Aims To Be The Fastest SUV On A Very Famous Road

No, not the Nurburgring. Think a little scarier than that.

The Bentley Bentayga instantly became one of the fastest SUVs on the planet when it was first revealed. The most powerful version uses a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine producing 600 horsepower and 663 lb-ft of torque. For a brief time, Bentley claimed the Bentayga was the fastest SUV in the world. Unfortunately, a crop of Super SUVs has taken many of the Bentayga's records away. Bentley is clearly enraged, because the company is gearing up to conquer a very impressive record with the Bentayga.

Bentley will attempt to break the current SUV record at Pikes Peak Hill Climb in Colorado. The current record was set by a Range Rover Sport SVR back in 2014. In order to ensure the Bentayga has the best chance to capture the record, Bentley has enlisted the help of Rhys Millen, a man who has been called “King of the Mountain” after holding the record up Pikes Peak. In order to break the Range Rover's record of 12:35.61, the Bentayga will need to average a minimum of 60 mph up the 156-corner mountain course. The Bentayga used in the record attempt will be fairly stock except for the addition of a roll cage and bucket seat, and the removal of around 600 pounds of weight.

The record attempt will take place at the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on 24 June. Final preparations to the car are still being made, but we have every faith that Bentley will be able to beat the record.

Rolls-Royce CEO Calls Bentley Bentayga A "Camouflaged Audi Q7"

Smack talk, automotive CEO style.

It’s become pretty much standard operating procedure in today’s industry for automakers to engage in platform sharing. Huge amounts of money is saved by not having to design, engineer and test platforms for every single new model. Volkswagen Group was the first major automaker to have a multi-use platform (called MQB) for a number of its cars, and now it has one specifically for large SUVs, such as the Bentley Bentayga and Audi Q7.

But Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes implied to Automotive News Europe that the Bentley Bentayga, the upcoming Rolls-Royce Cullinan’s chief rival, is really nothing more a rebadged Audi Q7. Bentley and Audi are, of course, part of the VW Group. "We are not using mass-manufactured body shells," Mueller Oetvoes explained. "That limits what you can do on the design side, and it undermines exclusivity massively. You don’t want a camouflaged (Audi) Q7 in that segment. You want to have a true Rolls-Royce." And that, children, is how automaker CEOs smack talk their rivals. Now, it’s important to remember that Rolls-Royce is owned by BMW, therefore wouldn’t it make sense for BMW to provide a platform?

It would, but that’s not exactly happening. Instead, Rolls-Royce, in an effort to further separate itself from those poor peoples’ BMWs, has developed a new aluminum-spaceframe architecture for its next generation models, such as the just revealed all-new Phantom. The Cullinan, obviously, will also benefit from this new platform.

Bentley Bentayga Gets Roll Cage And Akrapovic Exhaust For Pikes Peak

The Bentley Bentayga is ready to race to the clouds.

With all the publicity surrounding Volkswagen’s first electric racecar, the incredible I.D. R, chasing a new EV record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, it’s easy to forget that Bentley is also about to attempt a new record at the 12.42-mile mountain course this weekend. After six months of preparation, Bentley has unveiled its race-ready Bentayga that will tackle the challenging hill climb. Impressively, the SUV has been left in mostly stock condition, but a few changes had to meet the Production class regulations.

The interior has been stripped out and fitted with a full roll cage, racing seat, and fire-suppression system. It’s also been fitted with an Akrapovic exhaust and optional Styling Specification Kit available to customers, which comes with a carbon fiber front splitter, diffuser, side skirts, and rear spoiler. Completing the look is an eye-catching Radium Satin paintwork and sponsorship decals. Bentley is confident the Bentayga’s 600-hp engine, adaptive air suspension and 48V electric active anti-roll control will allow the automaker to break a new production SUV record at Pikes Peak, but this will be an tough challenge for driver Rhys Millen.

The two-time champion will need to achieve an average speed of at least 60 mph to beat the current record set by a Range Rover in 2014. That’s not going to be easy considering the SUV still weighs two tons, even with a stripped-out interior. “We’ve honed the Bentayga’s incredible abilities and ensured we have a car for Pikes Peak that’s both safe and fast through two very productive test sessions with the Bentley Motorsport team,” said Millen. “The course is one you can only attack with a car that can gain and lose speed very quickly, because it’s so tight and twisty."

The combination of 600 bhp, 664 lb ft and carbon ceramic brakes means that the Bentayga can accelerate and decelerate incredibly hard – and that’s what I’ll be counting on for my run. I can’t wait to get started at the mountain later this week.”

2018 Bentley Bentayga Review

The Bentayga is the harbinger of a new wave of ultra-luxurious SUVs that currently sits at the top of some already very accomplished competitors. Hand-stitched leather, opulent accessories and endless customization options make this a very special vehicle indeed.

The Bentayga is all new for 2017 and with similarly priced and targeted competitors such as the Rolls-Royce Cullinan still at least a year away, it is the default choice for those wanting the very finest SUV around.

What’s it like inside?

The quality of the materials and fittings in the cabin is superb, the majority of switches and controls feel solid however a few of the plastic climate control switches and steering-wheel mounted buttons are not up to the high standards set by the rest of the interior.

That said, the Bentayga never feels anything but opulent and very special, the perfect stitching on the seats and design details that abound throughout the cabin elevate it above any other competitor.

As expected, the seats are supportive and comfortable in both rows, shoppers have the option of either two or three seats in the back however you do lose out on the available champagne and glass holder if you opt for the three abreast option.

Cargo space is adequate, option for the 7-seater layout makes for very little space in the back for luggage though.

How does it drive?

A vehicle of this size and weight should lumber and pitch about when pushed but the Bentayga shrugs off fast bends and tight corners with contempt, remaining utterly composed even over rough road surfaces.

The adaptive suspension and excellent sound deadening mean that the cabin remains serene and separated from the outside world too, this setup may not make the Bentayga offer a high level of driver feedback but shoppers at this level have a garage full of sports cars for that.

What about the performance?

The Bentayga may be the most expensive SUV on the market but it is the most powerful too, equipped with a W12 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged engine it puts out 600 horsepower and a faintly ludicrous 664 lb-ft of torque. An 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are standard.

Acceleration off the line is ferocious, 60 mph is dealt with in 4.0-seconds and this 5000-pound luxury missile only backs off once it reaches 187 mph. No SUV offers that breadth of abilities and a fair few sports cars will be left in its dust too. A claimed 21.6 overall mpg is impressive too although achieving that figure will require a very conservative driving style.

What are my options?

The Bentley Bentayga is available either in base, a fully specced Mulliner trim or launch edition Onyx trim levels.

The Bentayga is all about customization so consider the base trim as a starting point from which to create your bespoke luxury SUV. Standard features include 21-inch alloy wheels, Full LED exterior lighting with adaptive headlamps, air suspension with adaptive dampers and ride-height control, 5-seat configuration, 8-inch touchscreen with 60GB HDD, navigation and 10-speaker audio system.

Leather headlining, Burr walnut veneer and jewel fuel and oil filler caps are also standard. From here you can choose from 107 different exterior paint colors, 15 premium grade leather colors and a whole host of personalizations limited only by your imagination and wallet size.

The Mulliner trim adds to the base spec with 22-inch alloy wheels, embroidered Mulliner emblems, a Naim audio system, Mulliner console drinks cooler, self-levelling wheel center cap badge and LED welcome lamps. The otherwise optional All-Terrain (additional off-roading modes, underbody protection), City (parking assist, collision detection and top-view camera), Touring (night vision, adaptive cruise control) and Sunshine (power sunshades, additional sunvisors) specification levels are standard fitment too.

The Onyx Trim trim level is a limited edition option and comes with less standard equipment to allow for even more personalization and it offers unique color and interior trim options as well as a Breitling Cockpit Edition clock which costs as much as the base car. Other models make do with less pricey Breitling clock options.

The Verdict

The Bentley Bentayga is more a mobile statement of wealth than simply just another luxurious SUV. Objectively it is the fastest, most opulent and powerful SUV ever built, subjectively it offers well-heeled shoppers the opportunity to own something that can be tailored to be as unique as they are. Standard specifications need bolstering so consider the asking price as a starting point.