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Bentley Bentayga dives deep into luxury with touches of pearl

As some of the most luxurious vehicles on the planet, Bentleys are inspirational (and aspirational) to thousands of customers and fans around the globe. But sometimes, Bentley is the one finding inspiration in its customers. As a special commission for a Middle Eastern client, Bentley and in-house specialty shop Mulliner have created the limited-edition "Pearl of the Gulf" Bentayga, complete with pearl trim and a fingerprint safe. Only five examples, each different from the one before it, will be made. The Pearl of the Gulf proudly ties in the cultural history of the Middle East. For centuries, pearl diving and harvesting has been a major economic key to cities around the Arabian Gulf. And it just so happens, the gleaming stones are beautiful enough to complement the Bentayga's high-class personality. On the car shown here, Bentley artistically integrated a mother-of-pearl-laced dhow diving boat within the Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus wood dashboard. Mother of pearl is also seen on the Breitling clock in the center of the dash. Furthering the elevated feel of the cabin is a special technological add-on. Bentley installed a high-pressure die-cast aluminum storage unit that only unlocks with the touch of the owner's finger. The biometric fingerprint sensor is intended to secure any valuables while the car is left in an exposed environment or handed off to drivers. The rest of the cabin is a two-tone blend of light Linen and dark Brunel leather, a theme meant to evoke the coloring of a pearl and its shell. The quilted seats and door paneling have Camel and Brunel contrast stitching, and gold embroidery adds extra sparkle. Linen lambswool rugs turn the floor into a delightful rest area for the feet, and door sills highlight the car's "1 of 5" status. The remaining examples will be built by Mulliner's crew in Crewe, England. Featured Gallery Bentley Bentayga Pearl of the Gulf by Mulliner View 10 Photos News Source: Bentley Bentley SUV Luxury bentley bentayga Mulliner

Bentley considering chopping new Bentayga into a crossover coupe

Like it or not, crossover coupes are gaining traction. BMW lead the march with the X6 and has since followed up with the X4, rival Mercedes has already showcased its new GLE Coupe, and Audi is expected to be following suit as well. So who's next? According to Top Gear, that'd be Bentley. The British luxury automaker is (like Jaguar and Maserati) preparing to launch its first SUV in the form of the upcoming new Bentayga. But it isn't likely to stop there. After speaking with Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer, who pointed towards the growth in the luxury crossover segment at the expense of coupes, convertibles and sedans, Top Gear is convinced that the Flying B marque is weighing the possibility of a slant-backed coupe version. If BMW's experience is anything to go by, reconfiguring the roof and styling of the Bentayga to give it a more rakish profile would be a relatively low-cost, straightforward way to give Crewe another crossover model to offer. But by the same token, we wouldn't expect it to lose any doors in the process as that same Bavarian rival did with the Mini Paceman. With the Bentayga set to debut next year, it may not be until 2019 that the coupe version would arrive. That's if it's given the green light in the first place, with Bentley expected to decide "within the next year and a half," according to TG. What isn't clear at the moment, however, is whether the Bentayga crossover would stand in place of the smaller crossover Bentley was said to be considering, or the four-door coupe or sports car projects that were said to be on the table as well.

Bentley doubles down on diesels with a triple-charged Bentayga

Volkswagen Group isn't totally giving up on diesels. While its flagship VW brand is clearly tarnished, the ultra-luxury Bentley division just revealed plans for its first oil-burner, a triple-charged 4.0-liter V8 that produces 429 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. If the powertrain sounds familiar, that's because it's the same one found in the Audi SQ7 TDI. It's a clever system capable of giving what Bentley claims as the world's fastest diesel SUV a top speed of 168 miles per hour and a zero-to-62 mph time of 4.8 seconds. The SQ7 TDI can get to 62 mph in the same time, but is electronically limited to 155 mph, because it wouldn't make sense if the cheaper SUV could outperform the much more expensive one. The Bentayga also emits the lowest CO2 output of any Bentley and has a range of over 621 miles on one tank. Despite having a curb weight of 5,269 pounds, Bentley claims the Bentayga can get a combined rating of 35.8 mpg on the European cycle. The Bentayga Diesel may not be as powerful or as fast as the W12-powered model, but it's a lot more fuel efficient as the latter achieves a combined rating of 21.6 mpg on the European cycle. Other than the new engine, the Bentayga diesel is nearly identical to its gasoline-powered twin except for some discreet "V8 Diesel" badges on the front doors, a new exhaust outlet design, and a black grille. A Bentley spokesperson confirmed that the Bentayga diesel would not be sold in the US. And since Bentley won't be at this year's Paris Motor Show, don't get your hopes up on spotting the vehicle there. The diesel-powered SUV will go on sale in Europe early next year, which will be followed by its release in Russia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan. Pricing for the SUV has not been announced yet. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Bentley Bentayga Diesel View 20 Photos News Source: BentleyImage Credit: Bentley Green Audi Bentley SUV Diesel Vehicles Luxury Performance bentley bentayga