The Bentley Torcal, the brand’s first electric vehicle, has finally broken cover following a false start, a dramatic pivot, and an extended tease. The slow burn began in 2020 when Bentley announced a fully electric lineup by 2030. The chronologically optimistic plan met with shifting regulations and a lackluster premium EV market, ultimately leading to the visually polarizing and technologically impressive Torcal.
Rather than barreling toward pure electrification, Bentley expanded its hybrid offerings while bringing in a purist-pleasing internal combustion-only Supersports. Those shifts empowered Torcal to become one the most carefully considered luxury electric vehicle launches in this weird new world order.
Torcal’s fresh face showcases two distinct features: a surprisingly flat countenance reminiscent of a mini-Rolls-Royce Phantom (which is in fact a hat tip to the late, great Bentley Continental T from the late 90s and early 2000s) and a “grille” encasing seventy-six illuminated hand-cut crystals behind a clear display. The crystals are an inventive talking point, with lighting patterns that glow and pulse with an illusion of depth in an otherwise monolithic front end.
Neat freaks will dread cleaning the clear polycarbonate covering following inevitable bug strikes, especially as airborne critters will likely be drawn toward the lusciously-lit surface – bring microfiber and a bottle of Quik Detailer! The side surfacing and the rear haunches allude to Bentley’s current lineup, while the tail embraces a refreshingly modernist form factor with a minimalist resolution to the rest of the sweepingly upright design.
For some dimensional context, Torcal is the shortest four-door in the Bentley lineup: five inches shorter than a standard wheelbase Bentayga, and over a foot less lengthy than a Flying Spur. Its SUV configuration presents more practical packaging than, say, Rolls-Royce’s nearly 18-foot-long, two-door Spectre. As with its cousins the Audi Q7/Q9 and Porsche Cayenne, all four of Torcal’s doors can open and close electrically on their own accord.
Inside is a reassuringly plush space that feels definitely Bentley: wide headrests, supple hides, and avant-garde options like the world’s first 100 percent Merino wool trim and so-called Ombré Walnut by Mulliner, which features up to 1,000 layers of sustainably sourced veneer and recycled paper pressed together and sliced less than a millimeter thin. Sunburst aluminum offers yet another novel texture, offering what Bentley calls a “reinterpretation of engine-turned aluminum.”
There’s a focus on color, trim and materials showing that Bentley hasn’t lost track of its core values while chasing quixotic electrified windmills. Despite advanced 800-volt architecture from the Porsche Cayenne, Bentley leans heavily into the themes of analog sights and sounds. Yes, there are still digital displays and the Tron-like chandelier-of-the-future grille, as well as the annoyance of HVAC vents that lack physical controls. But there are also physical door handles and some traditionalist touches that introduce a human element in hopes of softening the digital blow.
While most EVs leverage synthetic propulsion soundtracks, Bentley created a soundscape that pays homage to the carmaker’s internal combustion past. An audio sample of the legendary V8 powering decades-old land yachts like the Turbo R is complemented with live recordings of a drummer depicting the 6.75-liter powerplant’s firing order. Other signature sonics include a finger running across a crystal rim for the digital assistant sound, a hammer striking leather for turn signal tick-tick, and a flute for a warning indicator. Visual easter eggs include LED projections onto door cards of actual crystal refractions and footage of a hand placing a crystal onto the instrument cluster. The latter only appears every 26 hours so it’s not an everyday occurrence.
It wouldn’t be a modern EV without huge power, quick charging and smooth running. On those points the Torcal achieves extra credit thanks to its Porsche underpinnings. Two models will be available, base and S, with the S delivering 886 horsepower and 738 lb-ft from three permanent magnet motors, making this aptly named model the torquiest Bentley in history. The 113 kWh lithium-ion batteries can go from 10 to 80 percent in a mere 16 minutes. In top dog form, Torcal is capable of launching to 60 mph in a breezy 2.8 seconds. Estimated range is up to 375 miles on the WLTP standard, which should translate to roughly 310 EPA miles.
I wasn’t subjected to brutal acceleration during my ride-along in a camouflaged prototype following Monterey Car Week, but I did experience quite the range of suspension damping. Bentley’s first fully active suspension system can raise or lower each damper individually, thus enabling infinitely adjustable anti-roll behavior without the use of roll-bars.
On a tight on-ramp to highway 101, Torcal felt shockingly flat while it negotiated the high-speed corner. Conversely, the two-chamber air suspension delivered plush ride quality over cracks, ruts, and bumps. The tech may be borrowed from Porsche, but the tuning and effect feels definitively Bentley. Four-wheel steering of up to five degrees enables a tight turning radius, agility at lower speeds and stability at highway speeds.
An electric Bentley is an inevitability which might, as occurred with Jaguar, have defined the entirety of the brand. Instead, Torcal offers one EV option amidst a lineup of hybrid and full internal combustion models. Compared to other premium EVs, Bentley’s secret weapon isn’t ultimate speed or outright range, nearly impossible milestones to achieve. Rather, Bentley has taken the unique tack of packaging future-forward styling and inventive visual features with discreet touches of nostalgic analog hat tips.
The tactic may be anathema to modern battery-electric nameplates like Lucid, Rimac or Tesla, but it’s essential for a legacy brand that counts pioneering luxury and serial success in motorsports as its calling card. Torcal isn’t the first electrified SUV to come to market, but given its circuitous path and fully considered execution, it is arguably the most interesting EV of the moment.
IMAGES COURTESY OF BENTLEY
