For the first time ever, the Bentely SUV has been spotted wearing a production model body. Till now, the British manufacturer was testing out its SUV with the bodywork of the Audi Q7 and these spy pictures give us the first glimpse of how the company’s first ever production SUV will look like.
Bentley had first unveiled the much criticised SUV concept EXP 9F back in 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show. The production model of the SUV does resemble the concept, but Bentley hasn’t stuck to the original design. The front of the car houses the British manufacturer’s trademark mesh grille with twin-round light clusters, similar to the Continental GT, with taller SUV-proportioned air dams. The rear gets two massive oval-shaped exhausts and a tail lamp cluster similar to the other Bentleys. Inside, the SUV will get a large digital display similar to the ‘Virtual Cockpit’ which was showcased in the 2014 Audi TT.
The most powerful engine in the SUV will be powered by the 6.0-litre W12 engine, which Bentley says will make it the most powerful as well as the fastest SUV in the world. While a plug-in hybrid will be launched sometime later, Bentley says that it is also ‘considering’ putting a diesel mill in the SUV.
The Bentley SUV will be built at the company’s manufacturing facility in Crewe, England and will be positioned in the luxury-SUV segment. Currently, the Range Rover has the monopoly in this segment but even the top-end Range Rover Autobiography edition with its GBP 1,25,000 (Rs 1.26 crore) price tag, is nowhere near what the Bentley SUV is expected to cost. With the premium car segment doing quite well and helping manufacturers generate volumes, Rolls-Royce, Maserati and Lamborghini are also in the process of developing their luxury SUVs. Now, it remains to be seen whether Bentley can keep its word of bringing the most luxurious and powerful SUV to the market, once it is launched in 2016.
Image Source: caranddriver
