New Bentley Bentayga Hybrid SUVs Add More Electric Car Action To Luxury Line-Up
Bentley has been luxuriously slow at electrifying its fleet, with the brand's first Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) only slated to arrive in 2025. But according to the company, the long wait is to gauge its customers' driving habits and offer a gradual transition to an all-electric future. That slow transition comes in the form of hybrids. The latest additions to Bentley's portfolio are the S and Azure trims of the Bentayga Hybrid. Starting with the Bentley Bentayga Azure Hybrid, it stays loyal to the Azure series' comfort and aesthetic prioritization.
In fact, the company claims in a press release that it worked with a neuroscientist to understand how driving in a car and the surrounding traffic affect a person's stress levels and well-being (via Bentley). Accordingly, the company made adjustments to its latest Azure model. Bentley claims that the Bentayga Azure Hybrid is up to 26 percent quieter than rivals in the segment, and offers up to 27 percent lower vibration feedback. Aside from the customary heating and ventilation, the front seat offers 22-way adjustment freedom.
Coming to the design aspect, Bentley is offering 15 hide shades, seat piping, mood lighting, a heated dual-tone steering wheel, 22-inch 10-spoke wheels, and open-pore veneers in three styles. Under the hood is a 3-liter V6 engine, while the driving perks include adaptive cruise control, traffic assist, lane assist, and the in-house safeguard system that combines camera and radar imagery for maximum environmental awareness. Bentley has already started accepting orders for the Bentayga Azure Hybrid in its key markets.
Embracing sport the hybrid way
Next in line is the Bentayga S Hybrid. Featuring a 3-liter TFSi V6 engine and an electric motor that can generate 100 kW of raw output, Bentley is promising acceleration figures of 0 to 62 miles per hour in 5.3 seconds. With a net output of 456 horsepower, the car can touch a peak speed of 158 miles per hour. Both the new Bentayga Hybrid models can deliver a zero-emission range of 27 miles in the EV mode courtesy of the 18.0 kWh battery inside.
Bentley claims that it has also reduced the damping stiffness by 15 percent when the car is cruising in Sport mode. And since nothing screams sporty more than engine noise, "sound enhancements" will add some artificial audible grunt. To go with its sporty appeal, Bentley is offering style elements such as dark tint headlamps, standout 22-inch wheels with a polished metal finish, split-oval black tailpipes, illuminated treadplates, and a driver digital console lifted from the Bentayga Speed.
Bentley
Plus, the S Hybrid goes all in on the Bentley Blackline design philosophy, which means no more bright metalwork on the exterior. Interestingly, Bentley hasn't announced the pricing details for the Bentayga S Hybrid or its Azure sibling, but it isn't going to be easy on the wallet. If it comes as any consolation, Bentley claims that half of its fleet (7 out of 14 models) now consists of hybrid cars, and by 2025, the entire line-up will get hybrid options.