Bentley Bentayga Diesel set for April release

Bentley has announced on-road pricing for its first – and for the time being at least -- only turbo-diesel model.

The triple-turbo V8-engined Bentayga arrives Down Under in April priced at $399,000 drive-away.

Initial local pricing indicated the Bentley would have a price advantage against the Range Rover SVAutobiography. When the prestige importer advised late last year that the Bentayga Diesel would be previewed around the time of the Australian F1 Grand Prix, the price mentioned was $335,000, which would have undercut the exclusive Range Rover variant by $7000.

But the latest information cites an on-road price of $399,000 for the Bentley, which is close to $30,000 higher than the Range Rover, depending on the state in which the Range Rover is sold. And that price for the Bentley is contingent on the buyer financing the car through Bentley Financial Services on a $3999-per-month five-year lease.

We’ll have to crunch the numbers and look more closely at the ‘spec-adjusted’ pricing, but for the moment at least it seems like Bentley is confident the Bentayga oiler will sell in respectable numbers, despite the price difference to the Range Rover.

Asia Pacific head of Bentley sales, David Simpson, says the brand believes local customers will likely prefer the Bentayga Diesel over its petrol counterpart. And not just because of the price advantage – the W12 petrol-engined Bentayga is priced from around $420K.

“Australians have strongly supported turbo-diesels – especially in the prestige SUV segment. We think the Bentayga Diesel will be attractive to a diverse group of customers. In our previews that’s already been the case,” Simpson told motoring.com.au.

Last week the Bentayga Diesel was on display at the Bathurst 12 Hour, where a very different Bentley finished on the podium.

In the coming months, the new SUV variant will be the star of a revised Bentley ‘roadshow’ at events such as the F1 GP in Melbourne in March and the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show on the Gold Coast in May. Perth is also on the agenda, Simpson says.

Producing 320kW and 900Nm, the ‘triple-charged’ 4.0-litre turbo-diesel V8 in the new Bentayga Diesel promises to pack a wallop on the road. Bentley is claiming a 0-100km/h time of 4.8sec and a top speed of 270km/h. The top speed is unlikely to be seen much in Australia, but local owners will certainly enjoy the formidable acceleration.

Inside, the Bentayga Diesel will feature the same attention to detail and craftsmanship Bentley customers have come to expect, including “flawless hides” and hand-stitched leather for the steering wheel rim.

Bentley is already taking orders for the Bentayga Diesel, which will begin delivers to local customers from April.