The pioneering luxury SUV redefines health and sustainability
British luxury automaker Bentley has imbued its Bentayga Extended Wheelbase (EWB) with the Mulliner touch, and it made a big impression at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2023. The result is a luxury flagship that Bentley calls “the world’s most luxurious SUV.” “Something that will make rivals Mercedes-Maybach and Aston Martin toughen up their stuff. Mulliner is Bentley’s commissioning division and can trace the origins of skeleton construction dating back to 1760.
The Mulliner name opens up limitless possibilities for a fully bespoke Bentaga, taking it many steps beyond Bentley’s tri-colour coordinated interior themes. While it still has a twin-turbo V8, the Bentayga EWB Mulliner is more about craftsmanship, sustainability and wellness, a relatively new approach to redefining true luxury in a fiercely competitive segment.
2024 Bentley Bentayga EWB Mulliner: Space = luxury
It didn’t take long for Mulliner to work its magic on the new Bentayga Extended Wheelbase, just as the coachbuilder did with the gorgeous Batur. It’s about 7.1 inches longer than the standard wheelbase Bentayga, and all the extra length is dedicated to the spacious rear quarters, creating a limousine-inspired atmosphere.
We could talk all day about the Bentayga’s diamond-quilted upholstery, coordinating wood veneers, diamond-lit door panels, and matching interior key fobs. However, the run-down rear accommodation is worth yapping about.
Bentley airline seats
Bentley airline seats were optional on the Bentayga EWB, but Mulliner makes them standard in a two- or three-seat configuration. The automaker describes it as the most advanced car seat ever, offering 22-way adjustment (including 40-degree recline), automatic climate sensing and ventilation system, and position adjustment technology.
The seats recline into a relaxed position and give the passenger a leather-wrapped footrest that extends from the back of the front passenger seat. However, the coolest party trick is the ability to sense the occupant’s body temperature and ambient humidity. Heat, ventilation, or a combination of both is then applied to ensure maximum comfort, a feature we’d love to have in our personally driven Konas, Galants, Civics, and Accords.
The icing on the Airline Seats cake is Bentley’s position adjustment system. It features six independent pressure points across massage pockets on the thighs, shoulders and lumbar area that can make up to 177 micro-adjustments every three hours to prevent fatigue and sore muscles during cross-continental road trips.
Performance devices
The 2024 Bentley Bentayga EWB Mulliner may focus more on luxury and wellness, but it hasn’t strayed far from the old mantra of power and performance. There’s a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 making 542 hp and 568 lb-ft. of torque. The engine is mated to all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission, enabling 5,542 lbs. (2,512 kg) Bentayga EWB to achieve a top speed of 180 mph and 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds.
Meanwhile, the Bentayga EWB’s three-chamber air springs, rear-wheel steering and Dynamic Ride electronic anti-roll system keep the sunny side up while suspending the cabin in maximum comfort.
Sustainable and luxurious cabin
Passengers are greeted by olive-colored leather, a sustainable cowhide material that gets its color from an organic tanning process derived from byproducts of the olive oil industry. Bentley claims to be the first automaker to describe olive-coloured leather on a production car. What’s more, the carpets are made from 100 percent recycled nylon, and the deep-pile floor mats are made from pure wool, which Bentley describes as having an “exceptionally luxurious, velvety feel.”
Custom design elements
The 2024 Bentley Bentayga EWB Mulliner features standard 22-inch wheels in two available finishes, Rolls-Royce-style self-leveling center caps, two-tone mirror caps, a ‘double diamond’ front grille and a chrome lower grille. Selecting the Mulliner Blackline specification applies a gloss black treatment to all chrome caps and exterior mirrors. It also includes 22-inch gloss black wheels for an even more sinister look.
Bentley Bentayga EWB Mulliner 2024 available
The good news is that customers can order a completely bespoke Bentley Bentayga. It may sound trite, but Bentley’s Mulliner division isn’t messing around when it says “anything is possible.”
For a luxury SUV that costs upwards of $200.00, the Mulliner franchise raises base prices to around $340,000, and perhaps lucky customers can get a gold-lined, snakeskin-covered dashboard for a little more money. Order books are open for the 2024 Bentley Bentayga EWB Mulliner.
Alvin Reyes is an Automob Blog columnist and sports car and performance expert. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics and accounting in his younger years and is still very fond of his previous Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also loves fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
Images and source: Bentley Motors.
