Bentley Torcal Debuts in London as Crewe’s First Fully Electric SUV

London hosted Bentley’s first fully electric production car yesterday. Torcal joins Continental GT, Flying Spur and Bentayga as a fourth model line, a five meter SUV built, engineered and finished in Crewe for 2028 model year sales that begin next year. Long wheelbase, short overhangs and a proud front give it upright presence without the height of a Bentayga. Surfaces stay relatively clean so the rear haunches can do the talking, a shape designers call a resting beast.

An illuminated diamond pattern has been placed directly behind a see-through cover where a grille used to be, in a reference to the old Continental T. The car’s back is finished off with slender tail lights and a shield motif. The new, somewhat rounder Bentley badge has made its debut appearance on a normal production car. The standard wheels on the base model are 21 inches, while the S has 22 inches. The car’s length is 196.2 inches, its width is around 79.4 inches, and its height is just shy of 66 inches, all on a 119-inch wheelbase shared with the Porsche Cayenne Electric. The boot size is 460 liters, including a helpful 90 liter front storage area.

The interior retains the same winged dashboard theme as other Bentleys, but with a new twist, including a curved OLED screen unique to this model, as well as an augmented reality head-up display and facial recognition that simply loads the driver’s settings for them. There are still physical knurled switches and those gorgeous re-interpreted bullseye vents, so you don’t have to constantly reach for the glass to make minor adjustments.


The front seats can be adjusted in 16 different ways and include heat, cooling, adjustable bolsters, and a massage. The back seats have a three-seat bench that folds up neatly using an electric motor. Four radar sensors can open and close the doors automatically. The roof’s optional Frosted Diamond glass can be changed from clear to frosted, and the materials used include Responsible Wool Standard Merino fabric developed with Fox Brothers, Ombré Walnut made from up to a thousand layers of recycled off-cuts and paper, some Sunburst Aluminum, fifteen different shades of olive tan leather, and matching Dinamica.



Under the bonnet (hood), there are two permanent magnet motors, one for each axle. The Torcal model has 821 PS and 1,194 Nm, or 810 horsepower and 881 pound feet in American terms, and claims to be able to accelerate from 0 to 60 in 3.3 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph. However, the Torcal S stands out with its launch control, which produces 888 PS and 1,350 Nm, or 876 horsepower and 996 pound feet. It can accelerate from zero to sixty in 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 162 mph. Why these numbers? The Bentley team stated that they chose them because most owners find even quicker launches uncomfortable.



The battery pack underneath contains 192 lithium ion pouch cells that work together at 800 volts, for a net capacity of 113 kWh with a ten-year, 100,000-mile warranty. In the actual world, that equates to up to 375 miles on the WLTP cycle. American EPA data are still pending, but they are anticipated to be in the 300 to 320 mile range. A suitable charger can provide 400 kW peak DC charging, ten to 80 percent in 16 minutes, or around 100 miles in 7 minutes. The US models come with a NACS charging port.



Fully active suspension makes its debut on a Bentley. The car’s adaptive two-valve dampers can independently lift and lower each corner of the vehicle while also generating anti-roll forces, eliminating the need for standard anti-roll bars. Furthermore, the computerized all-wheel steering can move the rear axle up to 5 degrees and manages to reduce the turning circle to a fairly small 11.1 meters, which is presumably a good benefit given how long the thing is. The standard brakes measure 420 mm up front and 370 mm at the rear, but those feeling particularly flush can upgrade to carbon-silicon carbide discs measuring a monstrous 440 mm and 410 mm respectively. To make parking just as effortless, 25 radars, cameras, and sensors let the Torcal handle parking, remote maneuvers, and reversing largely on its own. Depending on the market, towing capacity comes in at around 2,700 kilograms, while curb weight sits at approximately 6,150 pounds.



Now, I know what you’re thinking: “What about the sound?” Fortunately for you, that’s been taken care of. Engineers went out and recorded some drums, viola, and bass guitar, which were then mapped onto the engine’s torque and speed, giving the cabin a bit of a beat that can be turned off if you don’t like it. They even used a hammer on leather for those nice indicator clicks and interface chimes. The crystal glass chimes are a great addition, however. They also have four Experience Modes, Bentley, Comfort, Sport, and Refresh, which will all arrange the lights, climate control, airflow, and digital displays in a nice bit of harmony, and because you can never have enough, you can also add the optional Naim audio, which throws some 28 speakers and 1,780 watts at you, along with some seat shakers and Dolby Atmos for good measure. If you don’t want to go all out, you can settle with the regular 16-speaker, 620 watt system.



So, how much are they asking? According to rumors, the base model should cost around £165,000, while the S variant will cost a tidy £200,000. I’m betting it’ll only cost you a little more in the States, with the base model starting at roughly $230,000 and the S approaching $270,000, depending on all the options you throw on that is. That’s still a rather eye-watering amount of money, but it’s a lot cheaper than some of the other Bentleys on the market. Unfortunately, the first manufacturing run will be manufactured in Crewe with a long number of UK suppliers, so it will be a truly homegrown affair. The first client vehicles are expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2027.