The Bentley Bentayga has won plaudits from the motoring press for its ultra-dynamic handling and exceptional build quality, but now it has gone one better by winning a place on the respected WardsAuto 10 best interiors list for 2017.
Surprisingly, due to the brand’s heritage, this is the first time Bentley has appeared on the list, which compares the interiors of cars released in the previous 12 months.
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The Wards team, which comprises editorial staff and engineers, commented that the Bentayga interior combines outstanding aesthetics with comfort, ergonomics and an exceptional use of materials with superb fit and finish.
Tom Murphy, senior editor at WardsAuto, said: “Its lavish and functional interior suggests the British automaker unleashed its best designers to integrate ideas and themes they had been pondering for years. The interior’s most striking feature is its luscious burnt orange leather, marketed under the name Newmarket Tan, with diamond stitching to resemble the quilted shoulder of a British shooting jacket.”
This is a tribute to the work of Bentley craftsmen who spend more than 130 hours carefully hand stitching more than a dozen hides, lacquering up to 24 burr walnut veneers and polishing chrome bezels to assemble each Bentayga interior to the customer’s exact requirements.
This kind of opulence does not come cheap, however, with Bentayga prices starting at £135,800. Where else can you find chrome bezels with surface knurling finer than that found on a Rolex winding crown, 22-way electrically adjustable seats upholstered in more than a dozen of the finest hides, all hand stitched and quilted to provide a seat of unparalleled luxury?
And we mustn’t forget the wood, for this is where Bentley craftsmen really excel. You won’t find any replica printed bamboo grains in here. Up to 24 walnut veneers, each 0.2mm thick, and sliced from the root of a single 80-year-old tree are spliced together, to give the Bentayga interior the look and feel of an exclusive gentleman’s club.
But far from being traditional, the Bentayga interior does an excellent job of marrying the technology today’s drivers expect with contemporary design and craftsmanship. The swooping hide covered dash integrates an 8-inch touch screen, with head-up display and enhanced night vision, along with a comprehensive suite of driving aids.
This truly is an interior to behold, so it’s no surprise that Wards rewarded it with a place on its coveted list. Can’t wait for to get behind the wheel of a Bentley, fear not, you can hire one of our stunning models here.
The WardsAuto 10 best interiors awards will be presented at a special ceremony during the WardsAuto Interiors Conference on May 9, 2017, at the Cobo Center in Detroit.