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Bentley Bentayga will be the world's fastest SUV

Bentley is getting close to unveiling the Bentayga crossover. And this latest preview clip packs a punch. The Bentayga is depicted in the video above and the images below undergoing high-speed testing on an oval test track (albeit still under camouflage). And with it comes some interesting figures. First, Bentley confirms the Bentayga will adopt a new 6.0-liter W12 TSI engine. Revealed this past May in Vienna, the engine still features the same unique layout and twin-turbo setup, but features a new injection system and other advancements to deliver 600 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. That will make the Bentayga, in Bentley's own words, "the fastest, most powerful SUV in the world." To back up the claim, it's showing the ultra-luxe sport-ute reaching a top speed of 301 kilometers per hour. That's 187 miles per hour to us, or a good 11 mph faster than the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S and 25 mph clear of the Range Rover Sport SVR. In other words, as far as top speed in SUVs is concerned, the Bentayga will be the new king of the hill... for now, at least. BENTAYGA: EXPLORING THE LIMITS OF PERFORMANCE Bentayga reaches 301 km/h, making it the fastest SUV in the world (Crewe, 04 September 2015) The all-new W12 TSI engine is the most technically advanced 12-cylinder in the world, delivering the best combination of power, torque and efficiency of any car in its class. With a top speed of 301km/h, the Bentayga will be the fastest, most powerful SUV in the world. This film provides a glimpse of what is to come: a unique combination of performance and luxury. Performance of this nature is rare in any car. It was unheard of in an SUV – until now.

$10,000 champagne bottle cooler? Only in a Bentley

Bentleys are expensive. They wouldn't be Bentleys if they weren't. Even so, the ~$200k list price for a new Flying Spur is just the starting point. The company's Mulliner customization division offers a wide array of optional extras – all of them suitably pricey – and just introduced a new selection for the sedan. Highlighting the options list for the Continental's sedan counterpart is a champagne bottle cooler mounted between the rear seats behind the armrest. The on-board mini-fridge fits two standard-size champagne bottles – no magnums, we're afraid – canted forward, as well as a stopper and a pair of flutes with bases designed to evoke the shape of the wheels outside. It all fits in behind frosted glass trimmed in chrome, just in case it wasn't blingy enough for the hip-hop set, and takes Bentley's craftsmen 15 hours to make. No wonder the company charges $10,135 for each one installed, which comes within a Bentley buyer's pocket change of a new Nissan Versa. The manufacturer does not typically "disclose to the public prices for bespoke features," Bentley spokesperson Erin Bronner told Autoblog, "as these are private commissions" and pricing varies from region to region. But the options list, as you might have guessed, does not start and end with the wine cooler. It also includes specially painted veneer panels, quilted stitching, scent atomizers in Stirling silver, and a leather-trimmed storage compartment for jewelry. Related Video: BESPOKE MULLINER FEATURES MAKE DEBUT IN FLYING SPUR - New range of Mulliner bespoke features available in Flying Spur - Refrigerated bottle cooler, sterling silver atomisers and painted veneers now offered - Mulliner specialist coach-building division brings Bentley customers' visions to life - Bentley Flying Spur combines class-leading refinement with effortless performance (Crewe, 01 February 2016) Mulliner, Bentley's in-house coach-building division, is revealing its latest range of bespoke creations for the Flying Spur, enabling customers to personalise the four-door luxury sedan to an even higher level. For the first time, the Flying Spur can now be specified with a refrigerated bottle cooler between the rear seats, painted veneers, Mulliner quilted leather, sterling silver atomisers and hide-trimmed stowage boxes.

Bentley's next Mulliner-developed model will celebrate the W12 engine

Bentley demonstrated what Mulliner, its in-house coachbuilding division, is capable of when it unveiled the limited-edition Bacalar in 2020. The convertible was well received, so the British firm is reportedly planning a follow-up model to celebrate (and send off) the W12 engine. Citing an anonymous inside source, British magazine Autocar wrote that Mulliner's next car will arrive as a coupe based on the Continental GT. That doesn't mean it will look like the Continental GT; the Bacalar is an evolution of the convertible Continental yet it wears a different design. Instead, the model will allegedly borrow styling cues from the EXP 100 GT concept (pictured) that Bentley introduced in 2019. While the EXP 100 GT was electric, Mulliner's next car will receive the same 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged W12 that powers the Bacalar. The mighty engine will be tuned to send about 650 horsepower and 667 pound-feet of torque to the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, and it will pelt the coupe from 0-60 mph in well under four seconds and on to a top speed of over 200 mph. Several improvements, like a firmer suspension system and huge carbon ceramic brakes, will let drivers make the most of the W12's power. Hand-built, the coupe will carry a base price of at least $2 million before buyers begin personalizing it; nearly every visual part of the car, including the upholstery and the paint, will be customizable. That figure will make it the most expensive car Bentley has ever released. The report adds that production will be limited to 25 units, and we wouldn't be surprised if the full batch is spoken for before the model is unveiled — even if, like the Bacalar, it's only granted "show and display" status in America. If the rumor is accurate, we'll learn more about the car in 2022 and deliveries will begin the following year. This project could move fast; it took Bentley nine months to make the Bacalar a reality. Few-off projects serve several purposes: they generate profit and they help luxury carmakers elevate and solidify their image. This coupe will also represent Bentley's way of sending off the venerable W12 engine and give the world of a preview of the firm's next design language. Related Video: