1 day ago
Bentley’s First Electric SUV Blends Speed With Tradition
Bentley has made its first electric car, called the Torcal.
It is a large SUV with room for five people.
It uses electricity instead of petrol, but Bentley says it should still feel like one of its cars.
The more powerful version can accelerate very quickly, even though the car is heavy.
Bentley says its battery can take it up to 600 kilometres on a test cycle.
Inside, the car has soft materials, comfortable seats and a large screen.
The reviewer likes its luxury and character, but thinks the glowing front grille is too much and touchscreen controls make adjusting the air harder.
The Torcal will be built in Crewe, and deliveries are expected to begin in 2027.
The Torcal is Bentley’s first electric vehicle and a new five-seat SUV, positioned below the Bentayga.
Its two-motor, all-wheel-drive setup produces 809bhp in the standard model and 876bhp in the S.
Bentley claims up to 600km of WLTP range and 10-to-80-per-cent charging in 16 minutes at up to 400kW.
The cabin combines leather, aluminium, veneers and merino wool with a curved OLED display and physical buttons.
Built at Crewe, the Torcal is due to reach customers from the second quarter of 2027, starting at £173,300.
- Who
- Bentley
- What
- The company has introduced the Torcal, its first electric vehicle and a five-seat SUV.
- Where
- The Torcal will be built at Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe, UK.
- When
- Deliveries are due from the second quarter of 2027.
- Why
- Bentley presents the Torcal as an electric way to deliver its established luxury and performance, rather than as a break with its identity.
Strengths
Criticisms
Exterior design
Strengths
The Torcal keeps a recognisable Bentley shape and avoids looking like a featureless electric car.
Criticisms
The illuminated nose and its 76 LED diamonds may be overwrought and divisive.
Cabin controls
Strengths
The cabin uses tactile materials, retains physical buttons and avoids adding a passenger screen the company says has no value.
Criticisms
Some airflow adjustments move to the touchscreen, and the reviewer considers that a step backward.
Electric character
Strengths
The reviewer says the car combines speed, luxury and theatrical confidence without hiding that it is electric.
Criticisms
The acceleration and recorded “Dynamic Symphony” sound may strike some as excessive or faintly ridiculous.
Key facts
- Vehicle
- Bentley Torcal, a five-seat SUV and the brand’s first electric vehicle
- Positioning
- A lower, shorter sibling to the Bentayga, not its battery-powered replacement
- Power
- 809bhp standard; 876bhp and 1,350Nm for the S
- S acceleration
- Claimed 0–100kph in 2.9 seconds with launch control
- Battery and range
- 113kWh battery; up to 600km on the WLTP cycle
- Charging
- Up to 400kW; theoretically 10–80 per cent in 16 minutes
- Price and delivery
- Starts at £173,300; deliveries due from Q2 2027. Indian pricing has not been announced.
Sources
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