The 2023 Bentley Bentayga Extended Wheelbase (EWB) Azure luxury SUV will be launched in India on January 20. The VW Group-owned British luxury car brand first showcased the Bentayga EWB last year in May 2022, and now the company is finally bringing it to our shores. Compared to the standard Bentayga, which comes with a 2,995 mm long wheelbase, the space between the front and rear wheels of this extended version stands at 3,175 mm. That’s 180 mm of additional rear-seat space for the owners of this luxury SUV.
Apart from revised dimensions and enhanced rear-seat experience, the 2023 Bentley Bentayga EWB Azure also gets several other updated over its standard counterpart. Now visually, the exterior of the SUV comes with minimal changes. In fact, the most noticeable change is the longer rear door which highlights the model's positioning as a chauffeur-driven SUV. The SUV also gets a new grille design with vertical slats and updated 22-inch alloy wheels.
Also Read: Bentley Reveals Long-Wheelbase Bentayga EWB
As for the cabin, Bentley offers three seating layout options with the Bentayga – the standard 5-seat layout, a new 4+1 layout featuring a central jump seat between the rear chairs or the more luxurious four-seat layout with individual rear seats. The last option includes the individual “Airline Seats” that Bentley offers for the second row. The seats can be electrically adjusted in 22 different ways, can recline by up to 40 degrees with boss seat also getting an extending leg rest. Also unique to the rear seats is a seat climate control function that works according to the occupant's body temperature.
Bentley is also offering buyers the option to get power closing rear doors, heated rear door and centre armrest and a unique LED ambient lighting pack that hides LED elements behind perforated diamond patterns in the door pads. There is also a vast array of trim and upholstery options to spec from – Bentley says that buyers have 24 billion different trim combinations to choose from.
Mechanically, the biggest upgrade here is the addition of rear-wheel steering system - a first for the Bentayga. The company says that the system not only makes the large SUV feel agile but its turning circle at 11.8 metres is even tighter than the regular Bentayga. Also, standard is the 48V active anti-roll system found in the standard Bentayga. The SUV is offered with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine developing 542 bhp and 770 Nm of torque. The unit is paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox with Bentley claiming a 4.6 second sprint time to 100 kmph and a 290 kmph top speed.
