- New S and Azure versions of the luxurious Bentley Bentayga Hybrid are sportier and waftier, respectively.
- The new model has slightly more power and electric range than the existing hybrid model, with Bentley targeting a 27-mile electric-only range.
- At least for now, these trims are for the standard-wheelbase Bentayga only, not the newly introduced EWB version.
Having been relatively late to start electrifying its range, these days Bentley has been picking up the pace. The latest additions are two new plug-in-hybrid Bentayga variants, both boasting both power and electric range improvements over the existing version.
The new Bentayga S Hybrid and Bentayga Azure Hybrid use the same 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 as the existing model, but the electric motor that sits between this and their eight-speed torque converter gearboxes has been given a modest upgrade, producing peaks of 134 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. These represent small but significant increases over the 126 hp and 258 pound-feet quoted for the previous synchronous-magnet AC motor. Peak output has risen to a claimed 455 hp, up from 443 hp, although the company's official zero-to-62-mph time of 5.2 seconds and top speed of 158 mph are unchanged.
A more significant enhancement given the first Bentayga Hybrid's minimal electric-only range is a new 18.0-kWh battery pack. We don't have EPA numbers for this, but Bentley says it is targeting a 27-mile electric-only range, appreciably more than the derisory 18-mile EV autonomy of the existing Hybrid's 13.0-kWh battery. We haven't been told if the new pack weighs any more than the old one, which was reportedly 463 pounds.
Enhancements in the Engine Bay
Despite their shared powertrain, both new plug-in variants have been tuned to different dynamic purposes. The Hybrid S is effectively a greener version of the existing V-8–powered Bentayga S, with Bentley promising it will have a more aggressive soundtrack than the regular Hybrid thanks to what it calls "enhancements in the engine bay" and what we’re promised is an exhaust note within the cabin that can be "tuned to different effect for front and rear passengers," suggesting the use of a sound symposer. The S also gets damping that is 15 percent stiffer, natty 22-inch alloys, and a more permissive ESC setting when running in Sport mode.
The Bentayga Azure Hybrid takes the opposite approach, aiming to increase serenity. Bentley says its Azure models are designed around the increasingly fashionable concept of wellness, although in this case that means maximum comfort and minimal disruption rather than overpriced candles. That means an even more hushed engine note than the already calm regular Bentayga Hybrid plus what the company refers to as "wellness quilting." This being, apparently, "the visual and tactile pleasure of precisely crafted diamond-quilted upholstery." Which does indeed sound lovely.
Both new Hybrid models will only be available with the regular-wheelbase Bentayga for now, which seems slightly surprising given how well the motor and Azure trim would doubtless go with the new extended-wheelbase version. It probably won't be long before the plug-in powertrain and stretched body meet on a product-planning Venn diagram.
We also don’t know if the regular Bentayga Hybrid will survive long next to this subtly upgraded model; we suspect it won't.
