CARS OF THE WORLD

Bentley Bentayga EWB 2023.

The luxurious Bentley Bentayga EWB 2023: first look.

Bentley claims that this elongated luxury SUV will get a huge market share. After a short test drive, we understand why.

Bentley is nothing but pragmatism. Certainly it must be present, given the prevailing economic headwinds plaguing British luxury brands like Aston Martin and Jaguar.

But Bentley has had a very good year, and the Bentayga has played a huge role in boosting the company’s profits.

To celebrate, Crew took some time off and introduced a variant of its imposing extended wheelbase luxury SUV (EWB).

After spending some time with the Bentayga EWB, it’s clear that pragmatism pays dividends — along with a first-class, distinctive feel in the second row of the EWB.

A bit of a stretch.

In some ways, yes, the EWB is a challenge. The Bentayga is suitable for those who prefer to sit in the back rather than in the driver’s seat.

Certainly some owners are attracted to driving, but not as many as one might think.

Bentley has gone to some lengths to provide more of a transformation than just cut and paste — 2,500 new parts are claimed, a clever rear steering system is created, and luxury rear-seat options are added.

The extended wheelbase and roofline visually set the Bentayga apart, giving the car an imposing and sleek appearance.

Smooth, distinctive lines on the sides, a grille with vertical blades borrowed from the mouth of the new Flying Spur, and a polished version of the 22-inch wheels add to the appeal.

The unbalanced shape of the doors — a huge tailgate overshadowing the much smaller front one — ruins the charm a bit.

But that’s inevitable when top-notch rear passenger space (and access) is the primary motivation.

Big power.

The 542-horsepower EWB, which is just a tenth of a second slower in acceleration to 100 km/h than its shorter V-8, leaves little doubt.

The 98 extra pounds of EWB that the motor hauls around seems like a drop in a very large bucket — the car’s total weight is now 3,249 pounds, to be exact.

For now, the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine is the only available engine on the EWB version: we’re curious why Bentley didn’t go with the available Bentayga W-12 engine, but perhaps it will be reworked into an even more exclusive version of this long SUV.

More importantly, the dynamic balance hasn’t changed much. Yes, the EWB is 17.7 cm longer, but the new rear steering system (a first on the Bentayga) allowed for a smaller turning radius than the short-wheelbase Bentayga.

Add to that the magic of adjustable dampers (which adjust from slightly softer than the regular Bentayga to just as stiff in sport mode) and standard 48-volt active lateral stabilizers, and we get a car that doesn’t seem as long or massive as it really is — at least from the driver’s seat.

The EWB’s sheer mass reduces its performance a bit. Bentley claims the car accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, and there’s no reason to doubt that, but the way it picks up speed…I immediately think of a steam train, not an overgrown WRX.

Power and torque are ample and readily available, and in sport mode the exhaust makes a pleasant and majestic growl.

First-class interior.

From the back seat, it’s hard to think of anything but a huge space in which to relax (and even lie down). Voluminous is not even the word, the cabin is like first class in one of the ultra-exclusive long-haul airlines.

The space inside is larger than that of the old Mulsanne sedan, which was even longer and which the EWB is effectively replacing.

While even the basic three-seat rear seats (as in the regular Bentayga) allow you to enjoy the space, more exclusive seating options are required: 4 + 1 and quad seating to fully appreciate the EWB’s amenities.

However, there is no third-row seating option here, and despite the stretch between the wheels, the rear luggage space is unchanged from the short-wheelbase models.

«Airplane seat» for most probably evokes memories of torturous economy class fixtures, but think instead of the softest business class throne and then give it 22 forms of adjustment.

Then add some useful features: for example, there’s a system that uses sensors to automatically heat and cool your back and buttocks to the right temperature, selected from six levels.

The almost imperceptible jiggling of the massage bubbles to gently move your body for three hours.

And most importantly, there is the ability to recline 40 degrees for a pleasant nap or just look up through the giant glass panel, breathing air purified by ionizers.

Equally important to some customers, given the size of the tailgate, are the optional power tailgate actuators.

Their use is intuitive: By nudging the open door, it will close at a deliberate speed. From the inside, pushing a button will close the door.

Bentley worked harder on the EWB to overcome the horrible noise, vibration and stiffness that could result from the modifications needed to create a longer, roomier and potentially more echo-reflective rear compartment.

After all, the glass on both the top and sides got bigger. The problem was solved from two angles: the acoustic coating on the glass was revised and the exhaust system was redesigned.

Combine that with the redesigned damper software, the softest tuning is noticeably softer than on other Bentayga’s, and the result is a calmer experience.