How the Bentley Bentayga EWB Is Changing the Luxury SUV Game
LUXURY QUANTIFIERS like style and sustainability, craftsmanship and comfort are far too often overused. Few brands possess both the legacy and innovation necessary to define – and continually redefine – the standards to which entire industries aspire to. When it comes to cars, Bentley Motors is one brand writing luxury’s rules for the modern driver. The celebrated British auto manufacturer is introducing its second-generation SUV model, the Bentayga Extended Wheel Base (EWB) – its largest and most luxurious model to date. After first launching the Bentayga as the first ultra-premium SUV of its kind in 2017, Bentley has spent the past five years yet again setting the industry bar for design, technology, and performance.
Bentley is known for having the most exceptional interiors on the market. Skilled tradespeople spend over 132 hours hand crafting each Bentayga EWB, which offers Bentley’s softest ever lofted quilting, as well as options like intricate ethically-sourced wood veneer overlays and a new ambience-defining Diamond Illumination made from 68 LED lights. Given the price tag, it comes as no surprise that every detail in the Bentayga EWB can be personalized–24 billion possible trim combinations to be precise.
To commemorate the launch Bentley hosted a small group to test drive the Bentayga EWB in Vancouver, one of the world’s most sustainable cities. Sustainability is top of mind for Bentley, whose factory grounds were certified as carbon neutral in 2019, and announced the following year its ambitious Beyond 100 strategy with the aim to be carbon neutral end-to-end (across all products and non-factory relations) by 2030.
Straight out of the gate at Vancouver’s VYR airport I received a Bentley-lit welcome where a Flying Spur escorted me through Vancouver’s maze of forestry and futuristic skylines to the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Post cocktails at a private dinner in the Bentley Lounge, I was seated at an intimate table, thoughtfully and tastefully curated – and on brand for the esteemed automaker. The Brits, Bentley’s Director of Communications Wayne Bruce with presenter and part time racer Emma Walsh, were to my right, with stylish menswear influencers Igee Okafor and Vince Lee to the left. Guests enjoyed Macallan nightcaps, a sneak preview of Bentley’s partnership with the Scotch whiskey maker expected to launch next year.
There’s no denying the correlation between comfort and wellbeing. The Bentayga EWB claims to offer the ultimate in rear passenger indulgence. With the introduction of their Airline Seat Specification comes a backseat that leverages technology for optimal wellness, so the best version of yourself can happily rest or get work done. The Seat Auto Climate feature allows passengers to set their desired temperature from six different levels, then uses heat and ventilation to adjust accordingly. Equally as impressive is the Postural Adjustment system where the shape of the seat continuously changes to ease pressure points and alleviate stress from tensed muscles. All of this sounded pretty ideal considering I was crashing from a day’s worth of travel. Bentley’s Mr. Bruce assured me that come tomorrow, I would feel better after driving in the Bentayga EWB for five hours. And he was absolutely right.
The following day I departed the Fairmont Pacific Rim first thing on a traditionally moody Vancouver morning (thanks, Brits!) in the Bentayga EWB Damson model, a brilliant eggplant exterior with complementing leather detailing inside. The first two hours of our cinematic drive began along the 99 surrounded by endless firs, the Howe Sound and its disappearing islands.
While attention is much deserved to the EWB’s back seat, let's not forget that this is a powerful car that feels incredible to drive. With a 4.0 liter twin turbocharged V8, the Bentayga EWB can reach a maximum speed of 180 mph. Cruising at definitely legal and very safe speeds still felt powerful and refined. Despite a high level of force and torque, Bentayga EWB is quieter than its competitors. The ventilated seats kept up with our ever-changing forecast and offered noticeable comfort thanks to my personal favorite feature, the several massage options.
A drive under a steady beat of rain at Whistler Olympic National Park was an ideal way to test the Bentayga EWB’s off-road capabilities firsthand. Each of the four terrain modes automatically adjusts the all-wheel-drive system, traction, and stability. Given the Bentayga EWB’s price tag, the test drive I anticipated was far cry from dredging through mud-covered mountains. But alas, true luxury is about not being too precious. Our procession of camel, marlin, grey, and Cumbrian green EWBs looked pretty badass handling the steep, slick trails. We passed the Canadian Olympic running team – they were professionals unphased to handle ruthless conditions. It quickly became evident that you could say the same of our Bentayga EWBs.
At our stop at the private Belmont Estate nestled in the Whistler mountains for lunch, Bentley Motors’ Head of Interior Architecture, Darren Day, walked Men’s Health through his favorite design details for the Bentayga EWB. Day immediately pointed out the newly added stretch in the rear door of 180 mm (7.2 inches) – offering significantly more legroom for those traveling in the backseat. Day told Men’s Health, “Designers have worked really hard to make the Bentayga a really handsome, good looking, and purposeful car.”
The Bentayga EWB offers best-in-class innovations whether you’re driving or in the back cabin. That’s to say it does all of the things you would hope for a modern luxury vehicle in the most brilliantly straightforward way possible. The newly positioned sunroof offers an extraordinary amount of natural light. In my case late come the late afternoon, it was the ideal way to take in our gorgeous surroundings relaxed in the backseat with the world at my fingertips. “In the back of the front console, we have a touch screen remote where you can adjust the seats, the color of your lighting, the climate control, and the blinds,” says Day. “It’s a really simple device to use and gives you full control over everything in the back of the car.” He’s quick to point out the convenient base for wireless conductive charging and a button that power closes the doors. Luxury is cable-free, hands-free, worry-free. Of course with the Auto Climate and massage going strong.
The last two hours of the drive were sharp, winding open roads wrapping around Mt. Currie, Mt. Matier, and Lillooet Lake, narrowly passing rocky inlets and waterfalls along the way. I appropriately opted for Bentley mode. Our final destination was at the base of Seton Lake where the mountains met the glass-like open water. Harbour Air’s seaplane provided forty-five weightless minutes of the most spectacular views of the snow caps and milky blue waters just below. Both will cost you, but these final moments and our day with Bentley can be recounted in similar terms: at ease, elegant, awe-inspiring.
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