Bentley can only survive on building cars with huge and thirsty petrol V8s and W12s for so long. But where else to get that effortless torque hit owners have got used to? There's the
diesel Bentayga
, but who'd be investing their long-term bets there?
Tech may not yet be there but the styling is
Going electric is of course the answer but Bentley has the challenge of delivering all the luxury and opulence it stands for but with no compromise in range and performance. Technology is a way off that yet but no harm in showing what an electric Bentley might look like, hence the EXP 12 Speed 6e Concept.
And it's rather handsome, no? A logical evolution of the EXP 10 Speed 6 coupe of a couple of Genevas ago this new car is open top, the better to show off its spectacular interior. The illuminated '6' behind the grille is also pretty cool, the concept having - naturally - rear view cameras in place of conventional mirrors. Because it's seemingly against motor show rules to have a concept without such a feature.
Bold new interior is too!
"Bentley's vision is for customers to benefit from high-speed inductive charging and provide a range sufficient for grand touring requirements," says the press release. "An electric Bentley would, for example, be able to drive between London and Paris or Milan and Monaco on a single charge and the on board experience will be enhanced for both driver and passenger thanks to the integration of state-of-the-art technology."
And that's about as detailed as the technical aspects of Bentley going electric might be, the elephant in the room being that battery technology clearly has some way to go. In the meantime - and perhaps more pertinently - the Speed 6e "showcases future Bentley exterior and interior design direction" and would indicate the style of the previous Speed 6 will indeed inform the pending (decidedly non-electric) Continental GT.