If you detected a whiff of sarcasm in that headline, your nose wasn’t off. Yes, style and beauty is entirely subjective, but the range-topping Bentley Bentayga has never found itself at the top of any writer’s sexiest-dressed list.
And that’s okay! It’s big, it’s bold, and it sells, so Bentley naturally loves anything that generates profits in a market quickly shying away from traditional body styles. Still, better is always possible, so the marque took the Bentayga to the plastic surgeon.
It’s probably a good idea to throw up a before and after pic to illustrate this transformation. Night and day, ain’t it?
Up front, bolder and blunter is the name of the model’s 2021 game. While the headlights retain their prior shape (a little more oval-shaped, now, and matrix LED in design), the grille takes on a more square outline. The lower front fascia becomes more expressive, with large, sculpted side vents and lower air opening, all underlined by an extra heavy strip of bling.
Out back, things get even wilder — if that can be believed. Channeling the ’59 Chevrolet lineup, the Bentayga’s taillights adopt a slim teardrop shape, ditching the chunky, bland housings of yesteryear.
Both the bumper and the liftgate adopt a concave form, with a stronger unibrow separating glass from metal. Exhaust finishers that mimic the taillights are now split in the middle, and the license plate migrates southward to a less pedestrian locale.
Overall, the look is crisper, more upscale — as any Bentley should be. It also places the model’s design language in the same area code as newer denizens of the Bentley stable.
Because this is important to you and could very well influence future purchase decisions, rest assured that each heated wiper arm on the ’21 Bentayga features 22 washer jets. The rear track grows an extra eight-tenths of an inch for an improved, if imperceptible, stance. Inside, the infotainment screen grows to 10.9 inches and adds gesture control. Wave your hand with abandon.
Perhaps more importantly, second-row knee room stretches up to an extra 4 inches for ’21, aiding ingress and egress for buyers of the two-row version. You’ll notice interior trim changes, with dark aluminum and new woods joining the roster. There’s even a new quilted leather pattern for those who’ve grown bored with their current pattern.
Bentley didn’t debut the entire lineup this week; with only the volume V8 model (4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8; 542 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque) available for discerning eyes to pore over, the Hybrid (V6) and Speed (W12) variants remain in the wings to tempt individualists afraid of being seen piloting the same car as their kid’s school teacher.
Expect to see details on the full 2021 line when the fall draws closer.
[Images: Bentley]
To be honest with a little badge swapping this would pass for a Porsche – unless of course that was what they were aiming for?
Not coincidentally, it rides on the same platform as a Porsche Cayenne…which rides on the same platform as a VW Touareg. Come to think of it, I’d take a Touareg over this 9.9 times out of ten, even if I could afford the Bentley – the Touareg’s a handsome vehicle, and this thing is just garish.
And we thought Cadillac selling stuff based on Chevys was cynical…at least they’re not trying to get $250,000 for an Escalade.
I parked next to a Bentayga a couple of weeks ago and got my first up close look at it. The size and proportion was very similar to a Porsche Cayenne. Outside of the most beautiful black cherry paint job I’ve ever seen the rest of it was nice, but no “oh, wow” factor at all. The large round headlights and large square tail lights were among the few distinguishing features it had. With the elimination of those I suspect even less distinction, probably on par with a mid-level Lincoln crossover
Perhaps they’re following Rolls Royce’s new “minimalist” design language
This really looks terrible, for lots of reasons.
I don’t find either memorable, but the original front end has more character; the replacement looks generic and protrudy.
This thing reminds me of a 62-year-old ex-trophy-wife who lives in a gated community in Laguna Niguel, and spends 20% of her time at the plastic surgeon’s office.
I made that exact point on Twitter yesterday.
Around where I am those women drive Buick Enclaves. Nothing says upper middle class/middle aged white woman more then a Buick Enclave. Even the name “Enclave” reflects where they live
@Lie2Me…
I wonder how long it will be before someone introduces a CUV called the “Gated Community” ;-)
I find this to be a visual abomination…after four beers I am angry looking at this ungainly hunk of badge whoredom.
Cut from the same “since I’m rich as f**k I don’t have to have any taste” cloth as the Cullinan.
Gaaaaack.
I literally have zero idea why anyone would take this over a SQ8, which is actually a handsome vehicle (and one I’d actually drive, by the way) that rides on the same platform.
I looks better, if still rather bland, in person than in pictures. Mainly because you see more clearly how big it is.
In pictures, the comically oversized wheels, make the whole car look like a an awkward little hatchback. Yet it’s Cayenne sized.