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Bentley officially chooses Bentayga name for new SUV

The Bentayga is here and the Bentayga cometh. The former is the Roque Bentayga, a rock formation on the island of Gran Canaria, the second is the arriving Bentley crossover, whose name is inspired by that formation. Yet that's only part of the tale: Bentley says that the taiga, a massive zone of sub-arctic forests that forms a ring around the upper latitudes of the northern hemisphere, played a part in the Betayga's name, too. Oh, and the company's founder – he's got a hand in as well. Company CEO Wolfgang Durheimer says Bentley has taken 4,000 deposits already, and some Bentayga trims will cost more than the Bentley Mulsanne. We do think it right and proper that the Bentley crossover will break the seal on super-luxe SUVs, since it was the Bentley Continental GT – 12 years ago, remember – broke open the market for super-luxe GTs. Still, everything that's gone into the Bentayga name is a lot of responsibility for crossover. We'll find out if its elevated haunches can support the load later this year, when it's revealed in advance of going on sale in 2016. For now, there's video above of it testing in the dunes of the Middle East. The press release below can tell you a bit more. BENTLEY BENTAYGA: THE NEW PINNACLE SUV - Taking luxury to new places, Bentayga is inspired by the natural world - The Bentley Bentayga combines pinnacle luxury and performance (Crewe/Detroit, 12th January 2015) Bentley's all-new and ground-breaking luxury SUV is set to be revealed to the world later this year and a name has been chosen: Bentley Bentayga. This sector-defining SUV will be able to introduce Bentley's renowned modern British luxury to limitless destinations with an impressive combination of on and off road performance. The natural world, along with the company's founder, inspired its name. Crowning the Northern Hemisphere, to the north of Bentley's birthplace in England, is the dramatic beauty of the Taiga, the world's largest transcontinental snowforest. To the south, the rugged peak of the Roque Bentayga in the subtropical Canary Islands draws attention from all directions and a challenging climb rewards with spectacular panoramic views of a rich and diverse landscape.

Bentley orders are up by 50% thanks to Chinese buyers

LONDON — Bentley began the year with 50% more orders than the start of last year and built more luxury cars in January than the same time in 2020 as China boosted demand despite challenges from the pandemic, its boss told Reuters on Wednesday. The Volkswagen-owned brand said it had not faced major disruption from Britain's exit from the European Union nor from a shortage of semi-conductor chips, which has forced some automakers to halt or reduce production. Based in Crewe, northern England, the over century-old marque made a small profit in 2020, when its factory was forced to close as Britain entered its first national lockdown, and hopes to build on that this year. "The order bank at the beginning of this year was 50% higher than it was at the beginning of last year," Chief Executive Adrian Hallmark said in an interview. "China, by far, is the most outstanding performance in the world in respect of level of orders compared with normal expectations." The firm sold 11,206 cars in 2020. Related Video:

This Bentley Bentayga takes fly fishing very seriously

Bentley's Mulliner coachbuilding division has put together a kit for what we assume are maybe three Bentayga drivers that enjoy fly fishing. As the company tells it, the kit packs everything a fisherman could need for a successful day on the river right in the big soft-roader's cargo hold. It's packaged in the only Bentley that has a chance of getting you to that river, too. Mulliner's upholstery and trim expertise is on full display – everything in the kit is either covered in saddle leather with white contrast stitching or finished in Burr walnut. The four leather-wrapped tubes on the underside of the tonneau cover house the fishing rods, while the master tackle box, refreshment case, and a box for stowing waders and boots sit on the cargo floor. Mulliner loaded down the tackle box with tools, cotton, hooks, and feathers to tie flies, and it includes four reel cases milled from solid aluminum. The refreshment case doesn't actually come with refreshments, but it does have three metal flasks and a set of china tableware, plus a food storage compartment. The tackle box and refreshment case both slide out for easy accessibility, and if an owner is short on seating, the entire housing can serve as a small bench. The waterproof storage compartment is removable, too, in case you need cargo space instead of pole storage. The best thing about this kit is the lengths Mulliner went to in order to keep the rear of the vehicle dry and fresh – the floor is waterproof and there's an electronic dehumidifier to keep things from smelling funky. Bentley didn't say when the fly fishing kit will be available, and because this is an ultra-exclusive luxury car, pricing wasn't published. Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley Bentayga Fly Fishing by Mulliner View 9 Photos News Source: BentleyImage Credit: Bentley Bentley Crossover Luxury bentley bentayga Mulliner