SUVs have become the vehicle of choice for mainstream and luxury car buyers. Automakers large and small are focusing on the lucrative segment, with Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini and others entering the space. Increased competition is always welcome, but not all SUVs are equal in their performance attributes.
A new Carwow video pits the Bentley Bentayga S against the Land Rover Range Rover. Both SUVs complete a series of off-road challenges that test their abilities. These aren’t your typical performance tests, however, with horsepower and torque taking precedence over ground clearance and turning radius.
152 Pictures
The Land Rover is powered by the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine. It produces 530 horsepower (395 kilowatts) and 553 pound-feet (750 Newton-meters) of torque. The Bentayga packs a smaller 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, but it produces more power, developing 550 hp (410 kW) and 567 lb-ft (770 Nm) of torque.
The Bentley is lighter at 5,324 pounds (2,415 kilograms) compared to the Land Rover at 5,533 pounds (2,510 kg). However, it suffers where it counts for off-road vehicles – ground clearance. The Bentayga has worse approach, departure and breakover angles. It also rides lower to the ground – 9.7 inches (247 millimeters) to 11.6 inches (295 mm) – and the differences are pretty obvious.
This becomes a problem for the Bentley, which fails to meet the last two challenges. The overhangs are too long and the SUV rides too low to perform the tests safely. However, the Land Rover finished each event, earning a clear victory over the Bentayga.
The Bentley’s only victory came at the start of the drag race on a hill. It suffered from the handling challenge, where the Land Rover’s rear-wheel steering helped it navigate tight corners. The Land Rover also beat the Bentley in the Downhill Downhill Challenge.
Both the new Land Rover Range Rover and the Bentley Bentayga S are expensive SUVs that will rarely see off-road terrain. However, if you had to choose between one or the other for off-road fun, the Land Rover seems like the perfect vehicle. Shorter overhangs, locking differentials and extra ground clearance make it an off-road superstar, though the high price tag would discourage many owners from using it to its full potential.
SUVs have become the vehicle of choice for mainstream and luxury car buyers. Automakers large and small are focusing on the lucrative segment, with Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini and others entering the space. Increased competition is always welcome, but not all SUVs are equal in their performance attributes.
A new Carwow video pits the Bentley Bentayga S against the Land Rover Range Rover. Both SUVs complete a series of off-road challenges that test their abilities. These aren’t your typical performance tests, however, with horsepower and torque taking precedence over ground clearance and turning radius.
152 Pictures
The Land Rover is powered by the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine. It produces 530 horsepower (395 kilowatts) and 553 pound-feet (750 Newton-meters) of torque. The Bentayga packs a smaller 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, but it produces more power, developing 550 hp (410 kW) and 567 lb-ft (770 Nm) of torque.
The Bentley is lighter at 5,324 pounds (2,415 kilograms) compared to the Land Rover at 5,533 pounds (2,510 kg). However, it suffers where it counts for off-road vehicles – ground clearance. The Bentayga has worse approach, departure and breakover angles. It also rides lower to the ground – 9.7 inches (247 millimeters) to 11.6 inches (295 mm) – and the differences are pretty obvious.
This becomes a problem for the Bentley, which fails to meet the last two challenges. The overhangs are too long and the SUV rides too low to perform the tests safely. However, the Land Rover finished each event, earning a clear victory over the Bentayga.
The Bentley’s only victory came at the start of the drag race on a hill. It suffered from the handling challenge, where the Land Rover’s rear-wheel steering helped it navigate tight corners. The Land Rover also beat the Bentley in the Downhill Downhill Challenge.
Both the new Land Rover Range Rover and the Bentley Bentayga S are expensive SUVs that will rarely see off-road terrain. However, if you had to choose between one or the other for off-road fun, the Land Rover seems like the perfect vehicle. Shorter overhangs, locking differentials and extra ground clearance make it an off-road superstar, though the high price tag would discourage many owners from using it to its full potential.