Bentley's first fully electric model, the Torcal, debuts in London with up to 888 PS
Bentley has unveiled the Torcal, its fourth model line and first fully electric car, at a global debut in London — a Crewe-built SUV with up to 888 PS, 375 miles of range and a 113 kWh battery.
- 888 PS
- 2.8 secs
- 375 miles (600 km)
- 113 kWh
What Happened
The all-new Bentley Torcal has made its global debut in London, becoming the brand's fourth model line. Bentley says the car is designed, engineered and built in Crewe and supported by a network of suppliers from across the UK, representing a significant investment in British manufacturing. It launches as both a core model and a more sporting S model, and is the first Bentley to feature the redesigned and modernised emblem revealed last year. The Torcal measures five metres in length, making it the shortest four-door in the model line-up, yet it offers a 460 litre boot plus a 90 litre front storage area. Design Director Robin Page led the in-house Crewe team, which describes the car through four "reads": proportion, graphics, surface language and detail.
“For 107 years, Bentleys have been the most incredibly complete cars - effortless performance, outstanding comfort, exquisite British handcraftsmanship using the best natural materials, and a soundtrack with soul. Our new Torcal sets extraordinary benchmarks in every area that matters.”
- 821 PS and 1,194 Nm peak torque; 0-60 mph in 3.3 secs (0-100 km/h in 3.4 secs); 155 mph (250 km/h) top speed
- 888 PS and 1,350 Nm with Launch Control active; 0-60 mph in 2.8 secs (0-100 km/h in 2.9 secs); 162 mph (260 km/h) top speed
- Up to 888 PS and 1,350 Nm — the highest torque of any Bentley ever made — with 0-60 mph in as little as 2.8 seconds
- Two permanent magnet synchronous motors, both dry sump and filled with oil for life; the front motor has an open differential, the rear a locking differential with a multi-plate clutch on each output shaft
- High voltage battery with 192 lithium-ion pouch cells in series, 800V nominal and 113 kWh net capacity, covered by a 100,000 mile, 10-year warranty
- Range of up to 375 miles (600 km WLTP)
- 10-80% charge at 400 kW in 16 minutes according to Bentley's headline figures (the body text says just under 20 minutes), adding about 100 miles (161 km) in seven minutes
- A handcrafted propulsion sound, the Bentley Dynamic Symphony, performed by musicians using instruments including drums, viola and bass guitar and inspired by the beat of a Bentley 6¾ litre V8
The Torcal introduces fully active suspension to a Bentley for the first time, with adaptive two-valve dampers that can each be raised or lowered instantaneously, negating the need for anti-roll bars. Electronic All Wheel Steering is standard, using rear steering angles up to five degrees to reduce the turning circle to 11.1 metres. Braking comes from an iron system with 420 mm front and 370 mm rear discs, upgradeable to a Carbon Silicon Carbide (CSiC) ceramic system with 440 mm front discs — jointly the largest in the world with other Bentleys — and 410 mm rears, with black, red or grey calipers as standard and three further colours through Mulliner. Driver assistance features use 25 radars, sensors and cameras, and include towing, garage and parallel parking assistance, remote parking via an app, and four radar-controlled powered doors that can self-open and close.
- The world's first 100% Merino wool automotive fabric, developed with Somerset weaver Fox Brothers and the first automotive wool fabric certified by the Responsible Wool Standard
- Ombré Walnut by Mulliner, formed from up to 1,000 individually selected layers of responsibly sourced walnut off-cuts and recycled craft paper, pressed and sliced to less than a millimetre in thickness
- Sunburst Aluminium by Mulliner, a three-way brushed finish reinterpreting the engine-turned aluminium dashboards of Bentley's past
- 15 shades of olive tan leather, including the new Teal, Terra and Glaze hues, plus 15 matching Dinamica shades, Merino wool in five colours, six wood veneers, two technical finishes and six Piano finishes
- Five wheel designs: 21in wheels standard on the core car, a ten-twin-spoke 22in design standard on the S, plus three optional 22in wheels including an aerodynamic option, with summer, winter and 22in all-season tyres
- Standard seats with 16-way adjustment, heating, ventilation, adjustable bolsters and a new massage function; optional Postural Adjust and Smart Seat Climate; a Wellness Seat specification that extends massage from the squab into the cushion; and a three-occupant rear seat with a power fold system, a first for Bentley
Four Experience Modes — Bentley, Comfort, Sport and Refresh — bring light, sound, climate, air flow and digital information together to support different moods, with Comfort offering a digital detox that hides all but the most essential information. Curved OLED screens, which Bentley says are unique to it, are joined by facial recognition that loads a driver's preferences, including seat and steering wheel position, and a Mobile Device Key that lets a phone act as the car's key. An augmented reality head-up display projects navigation instructions and on-road ADAS markers into the driver's field of view, and a new Frosted Diamond switchable-glass sunroof tailors light and atmosphere in the cabin. Audio choices are a 620W, 16-speaker system or, with Naim, a 1,780W, 28-speaker package with kinaesthetic seat shakers, front headrest speakers and Dolby Atmos 7.1.
Previously from Bentley Motors Ltd.
Our earlier coverage reported that Bentley is putting the Torcal — its all-new fourth model line — into production on a brand-new line built inside one of its original 1938 factory buildings in Crewe, England. We also reported that Bentley had said the Torcal would be its most powerful and fastest-accelerating production car ever, while keeping performance within the limits of comfort.
- Bentley's new Torcal takes shape on a new production line inside a 1938 Crewe factory
- Bentley Torcal Will Be Brand's Most Powerful and Fastest-Accelerating Production Car
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Bentley Motors Ltd.'s official releases.
Why this matters
The Torcal is Bentley's first battery-electric vehicle, and the company says it is a template for every future Bentley regardless of powertrain, so it shows how the brand intends to move beyond combustion engines. Bentley states the car is designed, engineered and built in Crewe with a network of UK suppliers, calling it a significant investment in British manufacturing — which matters to the workers and suppliers tied to the plant.
Terms in This Story
- PS
- A metric unit of power (Pferdestärke), close to but not identical to imperial horsepower.
- WLTP
- Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure, the standardised test used in Europe to measure a vehicle's range and emissions.
- kW
- Kilowatt, a unit of power; in charging, a higher kW rating means a battery can be replenished faster.
- CSiC
- Carbon Silicon Carbide, a ceramic composite used for brake discs that is lighter and more heat-resistant than iron.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.