The Bentley Bentayga Extended Wheelbase (EWB) Mulliner is officially the British marque’s new flagship model, featuring more cabin space than any comparable luxury competitor and bespoke enhancements, according to the Crewe-based automaker.
Based on the brand’s bestseller – the Bentayga SUV – this new variant goes through the hands of the artisans at Mulliner, which is Bentley’s in-house coachbuilder, and the result is a vehicle that looks like an art gallery on wheels.
Powered by the same 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged engine that motivates the regular variant of the SUV, producing 542 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque, the Bentaya EWB Mulliner is available in either 4+1 or 4-seat configurations and features the brand’s Airline Seat specification as standard, which is described by Bentley as being the most advanced automotive seating system in the world, packing 12 electric motors and 22-way adjustment.
But the Airline Seat spec is also available as an option on the non-Mulliner Bentayga EWB, so what does this coach-built SUV come with to justify its flagship description? For starters, the Mulliner Harmony Diamond Quilt leather upholstery for one is present on the seats and the door panels.
Then, there are the Mulliner deep-pile overmats made from 100 percent wool, the Grand Black wood veneer trim, the three-dimensional diamond milled finish on the center console, and the Mulliner name embroidered in each seat.
Furthermore, Olive Tan leather – which goes through a sustainable tanning process using an organic by-product of the olive oil industry – is used extensively throughout the cabin. To complement the sustainability aspect of the flagship SUV, the standard cabin carpets are now made out of 100 percent recycled Nylon.
The Bentley Diamond Illumination feature is also available as standard on the Mulliner SUV. This consists of dozens of LEDs (12 on each of the front doors and 22 on each of the rear doors) that emit light through small perforations in the leather trim – smaller than 3/64 inch (1 millimeter).
Outside, the coachbuilder’s touches include a set of exclusive 22-inch wheels that come as standard with self-leveling wheel caps and can be ordered in polished or gray painted and polished finishes. Mulliner’s distinctive “Double Diamond” front grille and chrome lower grille are also present, complemented by the specific wing vents and the two-tone mirror caps finished in Satin Silver and body color.
As an optional extra, customers can go for the Mulliner Blackline Specification, which is sort of a chrome delete spec, replacing almost all the shiny bits on the exterior with a gloss black treatment – Bentley badges excluded.
With 542 hp on tap, the Bentley Bentayga EWB Mulliner can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 180 mph, helped in part by the all-wheel-drive system and the eight-speed automatic transmission.
Pricing for the new SUV flagship hasn’t been announced yet, but considering a standard, short-wheelbase Bentayga is about $200,000 and a short-wheelbase Mulliner goes for about $300,000, expect the EWB Mulliner to be even more expensive.
