Ettore Bugatti memorably described the Bentley 3-Litre his cars raced against as “the fastest lorry in the world”. Nearly a century later, the new super-sized Bentayga EWB weighs 2.5 tonnes and can reach a top speed of 180mph. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose, as Monsieur Bugatti might have said.
The EWB is Bentley’s new flagship: an indirect replacement for the much-missed Mulsanne saloon. In simple terms, it’s a stretched Bentayga (EWB stands for ‘extended wheelbase’), with an added 180mm between the wheels, all of which benefits rear legroom.
However, there are also 2,500 new parts and a greater focus on ‘wellbeing’ – including the most advanced seats of any production car. Don’t worry, I’ll be taking a nap to test those later…
Long and strong
At a glance, the Bentayga EWB looks almost identical to its shorter sibling. The extra seven inches is all incorporated into the rear door, and arguably results in better proportions overall. Damning with faint praise, it’s much easier on the eye than a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Prices from £211,300 make it around £60,000 cheaper (sorry, less expensive) than the Roller, too.
Surprisingly, you can’t order an EWB with the 635hp W12 engine from the Bentayga Speed, but a 550hp twin-turbo V8 is certainly sufficient. Driving all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox, it launches the biggest Bentley to 62mph in 4.6 seconds – level-pegging with a Porsche Boxster S.
I didn’t have a chauffeur on-hand (you can’t get the staff these days), so I sampled the Bentayga’s back seats while parked outside my house. Aside from a few puzzled looks from the neighbours, it was, frankly, more comfortable than collapsing on the sofa indoors. The amount of legroom really is limo-like.
Backrub by Bentley
My Bentayga had the optional – and essential – rear Airline Seats (£8,395), which look like they’ve been pilfered from a private jet. They recline by up to 40 degrees and adjust in 22 different directions, while beneath the pillowy leather are sensors to measure your body temperature and humidity every 25 milliseconds. A postural massage function makes 177 subtle pressure changes over 180 minutes to minimise fatigue. It’s blissful.
Still, after three hours of snoozing in a parked car, I should probably do some driving. From the front, the Bentley’s dashboard combines modern Volkswagen Group technology with polished chrome and flawless, hand-crafted wood veneer. The view ahead feels imperious, while surround-view cameras help squeeze this large car into small spaces. There’s also a new rear-wheel steering system that tightens the turning circle to 11.8 metres – less than a standard Bentayga.
The 4.0-litre V8 is almost EV-quiet around town, then wakes up with a cultured snarl as the revs rise. This is an easy car to drive smoothly, with fine control weights and a plentiful 568lb ft of torque from 2,000rpm. The ride on standard 22-inch wheels is effortlessly supple, too. Only the abrupt jolt caused by occasional transverse ridges in the road – a common complaint with air suspension – might disturb your VIP passengers.
Stretch goals
The Bentley isn’t designed to lock horns with a Porsche Cayenne or Aston Martin DBX on a twisty road, but its clever chassis tech, including 48-volt active anti-roll bars, lends it remarkable poise and cross-country pace.
Venturing off-piste? A drive in the Peak District several years ago proved to me the Bentayga is genuinely capable off-road, although a Range Rover is better still.
Bentley expects nearly half of Bentayga buyers to ‘go large’, bolstering its recent record profits. Enormous SUVs aren’t really my thing, but whether you’re driving hundreds of miles across Europe or sleeping outside your house, the EWB offers a near-faultless luxury experience.
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