Experiencing the Extraordinary
Stuart Shield takes the wheel of a Bentley Bentayga at the world-famous Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire.
The typical test drive offered to prospective car buyers is a trip up the highway with a salesman. Within 20 minutes you are back at the dealership being shown body and trim options. Bentley offers a far more thrilling alternative as you really need to appreciate its cars’ capabilities. Some customers are invited to the Millbrook Proving Ground which is used to test everything from road cars to armoured military vehicles and passenger buses. The large variety of roads, ditches, steep drops and surfaces are often used by manufacturers before releasing their vehicles to the market.
A line of 15 Bentley all terrain 4×4 Bentaygas greeted drivers outside the hospitality suite. Here a briefing was given before taking the cars and accompanying instructors on to the tracks. The car I chose was the W12 petrol version. It had blue lights discreetly hidden behind the grill and windscreen headline which the instructor explained was because it was a vehicle used for VIPs.
We headed off on what looked like public roads to a two-mile, banked, five lane perfectly circular circuit. Here we quickly reached 100mph at which point, if in lane five with the steepest angle, the driver can release the steering wheel and the car will remain in position. We then drove on to the alpine road where they filmed James Bond’s Casino Royale then off to the mile straight. This is where you experience how quickly the Bentayga goes from zero to over 150mph.
Next we went off-road on what could be described as an assault course. Bearing in mind the road tyres were not changed, the car suffered no loss of traction. The secret is the smart controls on hand to reset the car for mud, ruts and slippery surfaces. Without doubt, there is something delightful about playing around in mud with a car worth over £150,000.
We have a strictly limited number of opportunities available to experience driving a Bentley at Millbrook. If you would like to be considered for a place, please email [email protected].
