- The 2023 Bentley Bentayga Extended Wheelbase has an optional Airline Seat that will offer generous recline in back and a motorized footrest.
- A 542-horsepower V-8 the only engine option, and rear-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars are standard.
- The Bentayga EWB will be on sale later this year, but pricing has not yet been announced.
When Bentley told us it was soon to introduce a fifth model we grew excited at the prospect of what we imagined might be something low, sleek, and sporty. The reality as announced today is pretty much the opposite of that—an extended version of the Bentayga SUV—although one that undoubtedly makes more commercial sense than a sports car would.
The Bentayga has been a huge success for the British luxury maker, having become its bestselling model of all time in the six years since it was introduced. So a longer and more luxurious version is an obvious brand extension, with the company pitching this as being the spiritual successor to the vast Mulsanne sedan which retired a few years ago.
While there are plenty of other highlights, the most obvious difference is the 7.0-inch extension between the axles, increasing the overall length to 208.9 inches. All of this stretch is turned into extra legroom for rear-seat occupants. That has required new rear doors, side stampings, plus roof and floor panels. Having seen the finished car in the U.K., we can confirm it doesn’t look like an awkwardly stretched limo, with the modest expansion only really obvious when comparing the EWB directly to its standard-wheelbase sibling.
There are more obvious changes inside, with a new level of luxury available for rear-seat passengers. In addition to the option of two individual seats or a bench, Bentley is also going to offer what it calls its new Airline Seat—inspired by those found in private jets rather than economy class. It features no fewer than 22 different planes of adjustment plus a Relax mode that will recline it at 40 degrees while motoring the front passenger seat out of the way and deploying a footrest. It also features multi-zone climate control to regulate heating and cooling of different areas while monitoring the the temperature and humidity of occupants to, as the company puts it, “keep them at optimal thermal well-being.” There is also a postural adjustment system which applies pressure to different areas to help fight the stress and fatigue any owners might experience while being transported in the back of a luxurious Bentley.
Mechanical changes are limited, with the biggest being that Bentley is only going to offer the 542-hp twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 engine from the base Bentayga rather than the brawnier W-12 of the range-topper. The official reason is that the smaller engine gives more than enough performance for the EWB’s likely mission as a chauffeur-driven limo—the quoted 4.5-second sprint to 60 mph and 180 mph top speed still seem adequately fast. But we also understand that the W-12’s approaching emissions-enforced retirement makes it hard to justify offering it in new models; it has already been dropped in most markets. Rear-wheel steering will be fitted to all versions to help improve maneuverability, and Bentley claims that the turning circle is smaller than that of the regular-wheelbase car. The EWB will also get Bentley’s active anti-roll system as standard.
The longer 2023 Bentayga EWB goes on sale later this year, and although we don’t have a price yet we can safely anticipate it will carry a premium over the regular car. Bentley predicts it will make up to 45 percent of Bentayga sales. It’s the same story with a slightly different ending.
