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The Bentley Bentayga V8 has been launched in India, through the company’s sole official importer, Exclusive Motors. Priced at Rs 3.78 crore for the ‘standard’ model, the Bentayga V8 is a more approachable take on the formula of a super SUV.

Priced less than the W12-engined version, the Bentayga V8 is still a performance-orientated vehicle. The 4-litre twin-turbo petrol unit makes 542 bhp and 78.58 kgm. The 5.4-metre-long SUV gets AWD, self-levelling all-terrain air suspension, a top speed of 290 kph, and a 0-96 kph time of just 4.4 seconds.

As it is the case with other Bentleys, customisation is almost never-ending, which of course will see the price move a bit northwards. The basic choices one has on the base model include seating capacity (from four seats to seven), wheel size (up to 22 inch), a range of 15 interior colours and 5 colour splits, carbon ceramic brakes, etc. One can also opt for the range-topping Naim for Bentley Premium Audio surround sound system. The 18-speaker, 1950-watt system is quite the epitome of good quality sound, as anyone with knowledge in audio will confirm.

On the practicality bit, there’s 484 litres of boot space with all the seats up, but push those down and you’re looking at 1774 litres (for the five-seat variant). There’s an 85-litre fuel tank, which can offer a range of about 750 km. That sounds like a proper GT for the Indian market.

Exclusive Motor’s MD, Satya Bagla said, “Bentley is the world leader in luxury mobility and has been defining new luxury in the automotive world. The Bentayga V8 shares the same sleek lines as the other models in the Bentayga range, but adds some distinctive features to create an edgier exterior that matches the car’s dynamic feel. The newest addition to the range, Bentayga V8, is everything Bentayga was designed to be, balancing exquisite refinement with astonishing performance.”