Bentley is extending both the visual impact (is that possible?) and dynamic ability of its Bentayga SUV with the 20-car, limited-run Apex Edition.
Like an Apex predator, the Apex Edition sits at the top of the Bentayga food chain. Its defining feature is its lightweight 22-inch carbon-fibre wheels – kerbing has never been so ruinously expensive – hiding giant carbon ceramic brakes that'll be earning their money by bringing well over two tonnes of SUV to a halt from a 180mph potential VMAX.
The wheels save 6kg per corner, and while 24kg overall might not sound a lot on a car that weighs more than 2.3 tonnes, crucially, unsprung mass dramatically affects how a car handles. According to Bentley, the wheels have other advantages: they're more resistant to flex than forged alloys (which can give up a degree of camber under load) for more precise steering feel, they're safer – tending to suffer slow punctures rather than explosive blowouts – and they should also offer reduced tyre wear because of their consistent contact patch.
Choosing the Carbon-Silicon-Carbide brakes saves another 20kg overall, providing enormous braking performance even at 1,000-degree temperatures.
You can choose from six colours, and all Apex Editions have a stripe that extends from the bonnet to the roof.
Options include Candy Red satin paint, with a white stripe and a white interior; Anthracite Paint with a gloss-black livery and a Mandarin interior; Orange Flame paint, with a matching orange stripe and a Linen interior; and Alpine Green paint again with a matching stripe and a Portland and Cumbrian Green interior.
The last two options are slightly less in-your-face and include Pale Brodgar, with an Anthracite livery stripe and a Linen and Porpoise interior. The final colour will be the most limited of the lot because to qualify to have your Apex Edition finished in Verdant green with a Moonbeam Le Mans style racing stripe and a monochrome colour interior; you must first own a Le Mans Edition Continental GT or GTC.
Based on the Bentayga S, the Apex Edition has a 550PS (405kW), twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, Bentley Dynamic Ride Control, rear-wheel steering and a free-flowing sports exhaust fitted as standard. Bentley adds a slew of options, including carbon-fibre exterior and interior packs, a Naim stereo, Apex Edition seat embroidery, Apex Edition carbon-fibre kick plates, and Apex Edition carbon-fibre exterior badges on the car's D Pillar.
And the price? Bentley doesn't mention a number, but as the saying goes, if you have to ask, you probably can't afford. Expect it to cost significantly more than the £220,000 Bentayga S Black Edition.
News
Road
Bentley
Bentayga