Two years after the 6.0-liter W12 Bentayga first hit the road, Bentley has introduced a third engine option luxury SUV. With a 4.4 second 0-100km/h and a top speed of 290km/h, the gasoline V8 will sit between the two current variants in the company’s range.
Bentley’s flagship SUV, the Bentayga, has been fitted with a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged gasoline engine. Shared with the Porsche Cayenne, the 550ps new-generation motor promises a top speed of 290km/h and 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds.
At the heart of the updated vehicle is a 32-valve V8 unit, featuring dual twin-scroll turbochargers located inside the ‘V’. Paired with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, the unit will develop 404kW at 6000rpm and 770Nm from 1960-4500rpm.
In comparison, the W12 6.0-liter variant will do 0-100km/h in 4.0 seconds and will hit a top speed of 300km/h. However, efficiency does suffer: the OEM claims 21.6 l/100km (21.6mpg).
While power is down on its sibling, Bentley has promised boosted fuel efficiency. This means the V8 motor will offer a combined 11.4 l/100km (24.8mpg) on the NEDC cycle and a range of 746km. All while producing 260 g/km of CO2.
This refined efficiency comes, in part, through the ability of the engine to de-activate four of its eight cylinders in just 20 milliseconds, as well as the addition of stop-start technology, which can activate at ‘near-to-stop’ speeds.
After making its debut at the 2018 Detroit auto show, the Bentley will start UK shipment in March.