► Diesel Bentley Bentayga spy shots
► Engine sourced from the Audi SQ7
► Rivals include Range Rovers and Cayennes
Yup, it’s finally happened. Bentley has bowed to pressures from its rivals and customers, and is rolling out its first diesel-engined production car.
Naturally, its first application for a high-torque diesel will be the hefty Bentayga, the company’s recently launched luxury SUV.
Initially, the car pictured by our spy photographers looks like a regular Bentayga, but a quick plate check with the DVLA reveals its displacement to be 3956cc – and its listed fuel type as diesel.
What’s the engine, then?
It’s the 4.0-litre diesel V8 from the Audi SQ7. In the SQ7 it packs twin turbochargers and an electrically driven centrifugal supercharger. It’s a mighty motor, punching out 429bhp and 664lb ft. Bentley’s likely to up that output somewhat, to help justify the car’s higher price.
![2016 Bentley Bentayga diesel](https://car-images.bauersecure.com/wp-images/1528/480x0/bentdiesel-002.jpg?scale=down)
This isn’t the only element the Bentayga diesel will share with the SQ7; like the regular version, it is also based on the same platform and features the same 48-volt architecture.
Why go diesel?
There are several potential benefits – lower claimed CO2 emissions, lower fuel consumption, a useful increase in range without boosting the fuel tank size and lots of low-down pulling power. For a large luxury SUV, it’s an sensible choice of powerplant.
We know from experience that it’s a smooth and muscular-sounding powerplant, too, so – while different in character from the W12 – it shouldn’t disappoint.
![2016 Bentley Bentayga Diesel](https://car-images.bauersecure.com/wp-images/1528/480x0/bentdiesel-008.jpg?scale=down)
Has anything else changed?
We can’t spot any obvious changes, outside of different exhaust tips.
When will more be announced?
It’s expected that more about the diesel-engined Bentley Bentayga will be revealed around the same time as the Paris motor show in October.
Read our Bentley Bentayga review here