Silly name for (maybe) a nice car - new Bentley
Discussion
I had the following in an e-mail from Bentley yesterday:
"A vehicle this extraordinary demands an extraordinary name.
"But what do you call an SUV with the entire planet's geology at its feet? We scanned the world, of course. From a satellite's eye view we searched for a symbol of nature's power and beauty, alighting first on the Taiga - the vast continental snow-forest that crowns the Northern Hemisphere.
"Then, we began to focus our lens tighter. Infinitely tighter. And, as ever with Bentley, it was in the meticulous detail that reward lay.
"The Roque Bentayga - an iconic, eye-catching standalone peak in the Atlantic Canary Islands, provided further inspiration. A truly unique and dominating feature; one with stature. A fitting symbol, then. One that draws attention from all directions - both locally and globally.
"The Bentayga will transport those within it to new environments. Not just through latitude and longitude - but also via mind and spirit."
What a load of bilge! Bentley has a fine sporting heritage, hence names like Mulsanne and Arnage. Bentayga is just plain naff. If I were in the fortunate position to consider buying one of these, and for some reason decided against a Range Rover which is the obvious choice, then the name alone would probably be enough to persuade me to keep my cheque-book in my pocket.
"A vehicle this extraordinary demands an extraordinary name.
"But what do you call an SUV with the entire planet's geology at its feet? We scanned the world, of course. From a satellite's eye view we searched for a symbol of nature's power and beauty, alighting first on the Taiga - the vast continental snow-forest that crowns the Northern Hemisphere.
"Then, we began to focus our lens tighter. Infinitely tighter. And, as ever with Bentley, it was in the meticulous detail that reward lay.
"The Roque Bentayga - an iconic, eye-catching standalone peak in the Atlantic Canary Islands, provided further inspiration. A truly unique and dominating feature; one with stature. A fitting symbol, then. One that draws attention from all directions - both locally and globally.
"The Bentayga will transport those within it to new environments. Not just through latitude and longitude - but also via mind and spirit."
What a load of bilge! Bentley has a fine sporting heritage, hence names like Mulsanne and Arnage. Bentayga is just plain naff. If I were in the fortunate position to consider buying one of these, and for some reason decided against a Range Rover which is the obvious choice, then the name alone would probably be enough to persuade me to keep my cheque-book in my pocket.
My fondness for the Bentley brand has been seriously tested since the VW takeover but this is taking the mic. I don't mind the Continental GT range despite its underpinnings, but I mind the huge production numbers.
Building a SUV is bad enough, though i can understand the economics behind it. But at least keep the heritage and the naming tradition !
Lets hope they reconsider the name in the same way they reconsidered the look of the SUV after the concept was so badly received.
Building a SUV is bad enough, though i can understand the economics behind it. But at least keep the heritage and the naming tradition !
Lets hope they reconsider the name in the same way they reconsidered the look of the SUV after the concept was so badly received.
Olidanides said:
Unbelievable. I am gobsmacked at the naffness of the name. I agree that even if I was in the market for one, the name would actually put me off.
BTW Cayenne pepper is named after the French Guyana capital... Not the other way round :-)
Indeed, but the US press release (at least) only makes reference to the pepper:BTW Cayenne pepper is named after the French Guyana capital... Not the other way round :-)
http://press.porsche.com/news/release.php?id=34
That is a completely ridiculous name I agree, finally they (the management responsible for the atrocity) have disappeared completely up their own arse.
I don't mind the GT, and the production volume, as I see it as the realisation of the Java concept car which I thought was a great concept. But I'm having real trouble with Bentyaga.
The thing is though, there are lot of people in the world with more money than taste, and VW know this. They will, I am sure, sell loads of them.
Maybe time will mellow the name and the concept.
I don't mind the GT, and the production volume, as I see it as the realisation of the Java concept car which I thought was a great concept. But I'm having real trouble with Bentyaga.
The thing is though, there are lot of people in the world with more money than taste, and VW know this. They will, I am sure, sell loads of them.
Maybe time will mellow the name and the concept.
Bluebottle911 said:
Java put on a hell of a lot of weight by the time it emerged as the Conti GT!
Sure, it's a bit of a fatty, and looks it. Unlike the older cars where the styling disguises the size. I think the Java was a much prettier car - built on a 5 Series platform. I thought it was super clever for what was a small company at the time with limited resources.Graham Hull (ex chief stylist at RR & B) says something in his book about how the Germans like their cars to look big and aggressive, whereas at RR they were always trying to disguise the size - In Bentyaga you can see the German influence I think!
matt5791 said:
Sure, it's a bit of a fatty, and looks it. Unlike the older cars where the styling disguises the size. I think the Java was a much prettier car - built on a 5 Series platform. I thought it was super clever for what was a small company at the time with limited resources.
Graham Hull (ex chief stylist at RR & B) says something in his book about how the Germans like their cars to look big and aggressive, whereas at RR they were always trying to disguise the size - In Bentyaga you can see the German influence I think!
I think I can see the German influence in the name of the latest Bentley, too. Let me explain. In the German language, they tend add words together to get longer ones. In this case, it must have occurred to someone in the marketing department that it would be good to recognise the influence of another well known singer on the design of the car (you will recall the Beckham woman's involvement in the Evoque), so they called it "Bentleydesignedbyladygaga", but, as a sop to the English, shortened it by leaving out a few letters, thus: BENTleYdesignedbyladygAGA.Graham Hull (ex chief stylist at RR & B) says something in his book about how the Germans like their cars to look big and aggressive, whereas at RR they were always trying to disguise the size - In Bentyaga you can see the German influence I think!
There is, however, another possibility, again the brainchild of the marketing department, who recognised that customers for luxury SUVs almost certainly have an AGA in their "farmhouse" kitchen, so they decided that they would call it a "Bentleyaga" to make them feel at home when out in their shiny new SUVs, but spelling is not their strong point, so they forgot the le in Bentley.
Perhaps they have determined that this new car will be targeting markets further to the east and that the name works well for the non Anglo-Saxon population. I haven't, as yet, seen an image of the new car, although, I should stress that I wouldn't be interested in owning a "4x4" of any make. Shame in a way that a number of the top end manufacturers feel the need to produce these vehicles, Porsche, Aston Martin and Bentley,...how long before there is a "Ferraryaga" or a "Roly-Royceyaga".
12 POT said:
Perhaps they have determined that this new car will be targeting markets further to the east and that the name works well for the non Anglo-Saxon population. I haven't, as yet, seen an image of the new car, although, I should stress that I wouldn't be interested in owning a "4x4" of any make. Shame in a way that a number of the top end manufacturers feel the need to produce these vehicles, Porsche, Aston Martin and Bentley,...how long before there is a "Ferraryaga" or a "Roly-Royceyaga".
Ferrari already make one - it's called the FF.Bluebottle911 said:
12 POT said:
Perhaps they have determined that this new car will be targeting markets further to the east and that the name works well for the non Anglo-Saxon population. I haven't, as yet, seen an image of the new car, although, I should stress that I wouldn't be interested in owning a "4x4" of any make. Shame in a way that a number of the top end manufacturers feel the need to produce these vehicles, Porsche, Aston Martin and Bentley,...how long before there is a "Ferraryaga" or a "Roly-Royceyaga".
Ferrari already make one - it's called the FF.12 POT said:
I missed that! As stated earlier not that interested in "4x4's", nor the Italian marques come to that. I wonder what FF stands for, or is it just pronounced as "ph"?
When applied to the Jensen, the first well-known use of 4WD in a production sports car, it stood for Ferguson Formula, but in the case of Ferrari, I have no idea. Funny Ferrari? F*****g Ferrari? Ferrari's Folly?Bentayga a mountain in Gran canaries 
http://www.summitpost.org/roque-bentayga/152254
http://www.summitpost.org/roque-bentayga/152254
Edited by Sunnysidebb on Saturday 17th January 23:16
silverfoxcc said:
Doesn't he play for Chelsea?
All the 'Chardonnay's of yesteryear will now be called 'Bentayga' and you will hear it screamed at them by pinch faced, overweight 'teen moms' in your local Asda. 
How the hell do you pronounce it anyway? Ben-tayga? Bent-ayga? Bentay-ga? And what on earth has Bentley got to do with a mountain in the Canary Islands?
It appears to be a name designed by a committee of marketing managers with no understanding of the brand or heritage.Very poor indeed.
Horrible in all respects. Unfortunately to be successful car companies have to be marketing-led not engineering-led. So we get what they can make money on, not what is necessarily what the enthusiast would want to be built. I have a GT Speed that after four years since new I still cannot fall in love with. A lightness to the controls gives a sense of detachment from the engineering, and its too heavy to be sporty, just bombastic. My Arnage though, is terrifically weighty and you feel part of the car. The high seating position is just as nice as a Range Rover, but you feel imperious in a way no other car can.
A Bentley Hatchback. Really!
I will buy a Mulsanne once someone else has paid a bit more of the depreciation.
A Bentley Hatchback. Really!
I will buy a Mulsanne once someone else has paid a bit more of the depreciation.
spyker138 said:
Horrible in all respects. Unfortunately to be successful car companies have to be marketing-led not engineering-led. So we get what they can make money on, not what is necessarily what the enthusiast would want to be built. I have a GT Speed that after four years since new I still cannot fall in love with. A lightness to the controls gives a sense of detachment from the engineering, and its too heavy to be sporty, just bombastic. My Arnage though, is terrifically weighty and you feel part of the car. The high seating position is just as nice as a Range Rover, but you feel imperious in a way no other car can.
A Bentley Hatchback. Really!
I will buy a Mulsanne once someone else has paid a bit more of the depreciation.
I almost totally agree, especially the Mulsanne comment.A Bentley Hatchback. Really!
I will buy a Mulsanne once someone else has paid a bit more of the depreciation.
Gassing Station | Bentley & Rolls Royce | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff