If mpg and buying cost not so important i would not even think about diesel.

When i was looking to buy, i was inclined towards the TDV6 after all the positive reviews from the media and forums. I am travelling 1000 miles per week until april due to the temporary work commitment. I have a Bentley Continental GT Speed and did not wanted to clock the miles on it. Mpg, refinement, quietness were all equally important.

But after driving both the SDV8 and TDV6 on 21 wheels back to back i could not believe how different they felt, i immediately ruled out TDV6. I agree TDV6 good enough on the corners but adaptive suspension felt much more smother and refined to me. Also at motorway speeds TDV6 seemed under powered. Driving experience was much more that the paper spec would suggest. SDV8 is surely much more dynamic that you would not expect from such a big car. 3 months on and i am very happy with selection of SDV8.

Saying that, Bentley lent me V8 diesel Bentayga for 5 days. I have to admit its completely different league if you can pass the looks. The interior quality, tech, refinement, power, sound isolation, dynamics, etc in every dimension its superior. Not to mention amazing dealership experience every time. You can feel you are not with a volume brand, whoever you talk to have time to talk with you, you get them every time you call them. Seeing the wings on the steering wheel makes me happy anyway Unfortunately it looks hideous from outside and also i can not afford to park it next to the Conti Speed and use it for commuting  2017 Range Rover SDV6 AB
2021 Aston Martin DBS superleggera
2017 Aston Martin DB11 V12 - Sold
2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range - Sold
2014 Range Rover SDV8 - Sold
2014 Bentley Continental GT Speed - Onyx Black - Sold

Couldn't live with the way the Bentayga looks either, they really are offensive. Diesel is effectively a posh (and very expensive) SQ7.

The looks are shocking - easy to confuse them with a London Fairway Cab - and that is being kind. 2021 L405 Vogue SE 4.4 V8 DIESEL ~ #17

Its not a handsome car unfortunately and the L405 being so good looking not helping Bentley to defend its case neither. I never fancied L322 but L405 is just right, i liked them since they were first out.

However if Bentayga looks were to my taste, sharing parts with VAG cars wouldn't put me off to be honest. My colleague has a SQ7 and i have driven it on number of occasions. In real life experience sitting in and driving both there is no way you would say they share that many mechanical parts. Every thing you see, you touch feels special and unique not a fabrication material like Audi. Bentley tweaked engine, gearbox, suspension and with much better noise cancellation car manages to deliver very different experience, i could not fault it at all. I believe pictures or on paper spec are never good enough to justify cars like Bentley or Rolls Royce. You have to touch it, smell it and feel it to get the vibe. 2017 Range Rover SDV6 AB
2021 Aston Martin DBS superleggera
2017 Aston Martin DB11 V12 - Sold
2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range - Sold
2014 Range Rover SDV8 - Sold
2014 Bentley Continental GT Speed - Onyx Black - Sold

The Bentley's boot is tiny for such a huge car too.

Thank you all very much for your comments - Some really interesting points and experiences shared there.

I also had a Bentley Bentayga loaned to me for a week by Bentley Manchester but sadly I didn't like it....... It's a great car if you want to drive everywhere at very high speed and all the time. But for me that's not what I want a 4x4 for.

Personally, I found the Bentayga impossible to relax in, every time I got in it, there was just something about it that made me want to speed excessively! Some may say that's what makes it a great drivers car, but not for me.

I've always found with FFRR's, that there's just something about the seating and driving position that makes you happy to sit back, relax and enjoy the drive....... Or will I find that the 5.0 SC is more like the Bentayga in that respect?

My brother has the 5.0 SC I have the V8 Diesel. I would describe the SC acceleration as violent and more of a punch, whereas the SDV8 is more of a powerful swoosh due to the Torque delivery (little brother also agrees with this!)

It's down to personal choice and the SC is 1 second faster to 60, but the V8 Diesel can go 500 miles on a tank and gives 10 mpg more. I couldn't care less re the fuel consumption, I just detest spending time filling cars up at the garage.

With the SDV8 I enjoy planting my foot, and due to the massive torque the back end goes down, the front goes up and you get an extremely graceful but overwhelming surge of power. You need to drive both engines back to back to make your mind up.

That's how a 4x4 Bentley should drive. 2021 L405 Vogue SE 4.4 V8 DIESEL ~ #17

Thanks Vogue..... I think it's becoming more and more apparent that somewhere along the line there's going to have to be a sacrifice, as no single FFRR seems to provide everything I want.

Do I learn to live with the background rumble of the SDV8, particularly at low speeds or while sitting in traffic, or do I learn to drive with a very light foot and hope the 5.0 SC doesn't encourage me to drive like a hooligan.

Vogue..... Would you say that your brother's 5.0 SC screams under medium to heavy acceleration and if so, do you find that louder and more offensive than the sound of your SDV8?

Many thanks

Allister

aja500 wrote:

I drove a 2010 L322 5.0 SC a few years ago, and I thought the Supercharger really screamed loudly under acceleration..... Has anyone else experienced this? and has the new model become slightly quieter?

Many thanks

Thanks MPx, it's good to know that the Super Charger is not too loud - Just one thing though, do you find that all that power encourages you to drive faster and often?

As mentioned, I also have a 6.75ltr V8 Bentley Mulsanne Speed, 0-60 in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 190mph, together with 1,100 Nm of Torque (to give you some idea, I think the 5.0 SC produces just 625 Nm). Right now I'm trying to slow down and will probably get rid of the Mulsanne shortly in order to extend my life, as the power from 1,500 rpm is just mental and constant.

I notice you previously had a 4.4 V8 Vogue, I also still have a 2007MY version which we use for transporting our dogs, if you think back, you'll probably recall that this was a very smooth and relaxing vehicle to drive, is the 5.0 SC also?

Interesting - I must get a go in a Bentley! I am talking 322 not 405 so feel will be very different in the new one, but in all honesty I do drive the 5.0 SC faster than I did my 4.2 SC and 4.4. The 4.2SC was the perfect tardis for me in the capable/fast/relaxed transport department - much faster than the 4.4 but that extra speed rarely brought into use. The 5.0 is faster still and probably more comfy, but a few things make it less relaxing. There is the temptation to feel that acceleration and, as Oscar Wilde said, I can resist everything except temptation (not really a problem for me at all but sounds like you may suffer!). The throttle is more sensitive, so you get much more effect for much less movement which is OK most of the time, but harder to keep as smooth in all circs. But the worse is the adaptive cruise that I just cant get on with. Instead of setting my pace and that's what the car does, the car decides to go at the pace of the traffic in front which by definition is always slower. So the car is always applying the brakes and as a result I'm always pressing the throttle to keep up the speed I want...which then goes over until I ease off, just as we come up to the next lot. The only way to use the ACC and get the effect I want is to sit in the outside lane and let the car do its thing - and that would of course be a complete knob thing to do! To me the old cruise control did the most towards a relaxing drive and now being "adaptive" it does the opposite...

One big plus of the 405 over the 322 will be its lightness but that is likely to make it a bit less of a relaxing barge and therefore more tempting to drive a bit quicker... Mike - MPx

2017 5.0 V8 Supercharged SVAutobigraphy Dynamic SVO Palette Grey (2021-...)
2012 5.0 V8 Supercharged Autoboigraphy Orkney Grey (2017-2021)
2007 4.2 V8 Supercharged Vogue SE Tonga Green (2012-2017)
2002 4.4 V8 Vogue Bonnatti Grey (2008-2012)

The ACC in the 405 is much better then the 322. Not perfect but useable in more circumstances. MY23 D350 HSE
On my 7th RR plus various other JLR vehicles

Thanks Phil and MPx for taking the time to reply.

I think MPx hits the nail on the head when he says the following:

"There is the temptation to feel that acceleration and, as Oscar Wilde said, I can resist everything except temptation (not really a problem for me at all but sounds like you may suffer!)"

You're absolutely right, and that's my worry, if the powers not there I don't miss it too much, if it is I can't help but use it.

As I think I have already mentioned, I have an appointment at Solihull with a Specialist Configurator in 10 days time, in order to go through the spec options. They've agreed to find me a couple of cars to test, including a 5.0 SC, so hopefully that will answer my question once and for all.

Many thanks again for all your comments

I would be interested to know how you get on with the test drives. MY23 D350 HSE
On my 7th RR plus various other JLR vehicles

Will let you know how I get on Phil