Bentley Bentayga EWB: Ultimate luxury on wheels for $372k

The Bentley Bentayga is the type of luxury vehicle you might spot in Constance, parked on a high curb in front of a bakery. I've been there and seen it. It's an expensive car, but one you can drive every day. The EWB variant adds even more comfort to everyday life—specifically, 7 inches more. That's how much longer the wheelbase is compared to the standard version.

This extension is enough for you to stretch your legs and rest your feet on a fold-down footrest while seated in the rear VIP seat. It's not as reclined as in a Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, the new BMW 7 Series, or the Chinese Maxus Mifa9. Still, it's enough to relax, behind densely woven window blinds, holding a crystal champagne glass without a stem, but with a specially purposed hole in the armrest. You have to pay over $5,300 for the cooler hidden behind it.

Sitting in the back, you can also watch a movie on one of the two monitors on the back of the front seats, without disturbing others when you put on the Bentley-branded headphones. Or immerse yourself in work on a laptop held on your lap. The Naim sound system with 20 speakers costs over $7,400 in this model.

The Bentley Bentayga EWB is over 17 feet long, and with mirrors, the body width exceeds 7 feet. In height, it's far from the Mercedes V-Class, but it's still spacious enough—almost 69 inches. With such large dimensions, even 22-inch rims look just right and are available at no extra cost.

However, the Bentley Bentayga impresses not only with its size and elegant silhouette. It's thanks to details recognizable at first glance—and unmistakable: characteristic double, crystal glass-like front headlights; a shiny and massive grille crisscrossed with a diamond pattern; and finally, a winged "B" atop the hood, similar to the Spirit of Ecstasy on a Rolls-Royce. All this is dressed in a Grey Violet paint from the Mulliner studio for over $8,900, approximately $37,500.

Although the tested Bentley Bentayga EWB was equipped with the All Terrain package, it doesn't quite match an off-road vehicle. It's more about being able to drive off asphalt onto gravel or dirt roads leading to private estates or snow-covered mountain resorts in winter.

If the Bentley Bentayga has already made an impression with its exterior, it's time to look inside. The luxury characteristic of this brand does not overwhelm. Just touching the leather upholstery or the wood on the dashboard is enough to feel you're experiencing craftsmanship.

Bentley prides itself on stitching upholstery from the leather of herds grazing in Northern Europe, free from insect bites that could leave blemishes. Here, Brunel and Beluga leathers with contrasting stitching give the interior a black-white-navy blue color scheme.

What you see on the dashboard is not Piano Black plastic but properly prepared wood, interspersed with cool-to-the-touch metal in a crystal-like pattern and warm leather. Large doors lead to this luxurious interior, which you don't have to struggle with; they can be opened and closed with a button.

The Bentayga doesn't lose the family car attributes characteristic of SUVs. The trunk has a capacity of nearly 14 cubic feet, and a 2+2 family can travel comfortably even on long journeys. However, the armrest can be folded to create a bit of space for a fifth person. Emphasis on "a bit."

Bentley cars no longer feature the W12 engines that could be considered iconic. The company has ceased their production. The 4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine delivers 550 hp and 770 Nm of torque. It allows the 7,054-pound limousine to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds. The maximum speed of the Bentley Bentayga EWB is up to 180 mph.

How does it drive? Exactly as you would expect from a luxury SUV priced at $372,500 and with 550 hp under the hood. The Bentley Bentayga in "B" mode won't dart from the lights, especially since it doesn't have to prove anything. Reactions in this mode are slightly dampened, as if the onboard computer wanted to ensure you've really floored the gas pedal. Because in a car aspiring to be a limousine, the most important thing is the comfort of those sitting in the back. You remember the champagne glasses, right?

Other driving modes are there to unleash power and performance. The over three-ton limousine accelerates steadily and smoothly, braking just as surely. It dampens bumps very well and doesn't lean much in corners and during overtaking.

It's a balanced combination of top-level comfort and high dynamics. The power under the Bentley Bentayga's hood is best described by the phrase: I don't have to do anything; I can do everything. And for 10 years now, since this model debuted on the market, it has been causing quite a stir.

"Everything" does, however, have its price. The Bentley Bentayga in the highest Mulliner trim line with a V8 under the hood costs from $283,750, excluding taxes. The list of options adds another $41,300, or $177,400 net. The tested example was priced at a total of $322,000. Adding taxes to this, the price exceeds well over $372,500.