Bentley is gearing up to officially reveal the fifth model in its luxurious line-up on May 10.
In the lead-up to the reveal, Bentley has revealed a shadowy teaser image of what appears to be either a front dash or a door card. It’s backed by ambient lighting which illuminates the photo partially.
Regardless of what the photo actually depicts, what’s more intriguing is the “Long-Awaited” moniker bestowed upon the teaser.
It’s unclear exactly what Bentley is planning to reveal, but one vehicle it could be launching on May 10 is the long-wheelbase (LWB) version of the Bentayga luxury SUV.
Rumours and countless camouflaged prototypes of the so-called Bentayga LWB have been circulating since the start of 2021, but there hasn’t been any official word on a reveal until now.
This idea the vehicle could be the Bentayga LWB is only strengthened when you take into consideration what Bentley wrote in its press release.
“With an extra dimension of on-board wellness, the new model will sit in sumptuous comfort at the pinnacle of its range and deliver a breadth of capabilities beyond anything previously offered,” it said.
This “extra dimension” could refer to the stretched rear third of the Bentayga LWB, which would allow for considerably more legroom for rear passengers.
Bentayga LWB spied prototype
Even though Bentley refers to this upcoming vehicle as a “fifth model”, the upcoming car could be a long-wheelbase version of the Bentayga as the brand says it sits at the “pinnacle of its range”.
The “breadth of capabilities” the car can provide as well could be referring to the Bentayga LWB’s off-road characteristics, too.
If the Bentayga LWB is the vehicle that Bentley is revealing, it’ll mainly rival the long-wheelbase versions of the redesigned Range Rover.
Expect the Bentayga LWB to also feature largely the same powertrain line-up as its short-wheelbase sibling.
Currently, the entry-level Bentayga is available with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 producing 404kW of power and 770Nm of torque.
This engine may sound familiar as it’s shared with its Audi RSQ8, Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne platform-mates.
There’s also a variant called the Bentayga Speed that’s powered by a 6.0-litre twin-turbo petrol W12 that produces 467kW and 900Nm.
More recently, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Bentayga has been revealed and is confirmed for Australia.
It’s powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 mated to a 94kW/350Nm electric motor. Total system outputs are 330kW and 700Nm.
The electric motor is hooked up to a 17.3kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and is said to be good for a range of 51km under the more lenient NEDC standard.
Instead of long-wheelbase Bentayga, Bentley could potentially be revealing a prototype electric vehicle (EV) ahead of the launch of its production EV in 2025.
Mulsanne Speed
There’s nothing to directly indicate the upcoming car is electric or electrified, but Bentley has previously announced it’s going all-electric by 2030.
This potential EV prototype could be an electric successor to the Mulsanne, as the flagship luxury sedan hasn’t been produced since 2020.
It’d most likely compete against the Rolls Royce Spectre electric grand tourer which is due for first deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2023.
MORE: 2022 Bentley Bentayga LWB spied
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