Spy Shots Signal Arrival of Bentley Bentayga Hybrid
New spy shots of a Bentley Bentayga prototype undergoing hot weather testing in Southern Europe may signal the arrival of a plug-in hybrid version of the luxury SUV.
The prototype’s status as a hybrid was revealed by the additional fuel door on the left side of the vehicle for the charging socket. The photographer then later checked the registration with the UK Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency, which indicated it was powered by a 2995cc engine and was an electric hybrid.
It seems almost certain that the engine powering this prototype is the same 3.0-liter V6 found in the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid. The hybrid powertrain in the Cayenne consists of the 333 horsepower V6 engine, a 10.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and an eight-speed automatic transmission. It makes 416 horsepower and 435 lb-ft of torque, but we could see it making a bit more in the Bentayga. The Porsche can also travel 14-miles on electric range alone, a figure we could see increasing for the Bentley.
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The Bentayga plug-in hybrid is expected to make its debut at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. If we don’t see it there, it may also show up at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show in late November. After all, LA loves hybrids and Bentleys, so they’d certainly welcome the arrival of a Bentayga Hybrid.
Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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