A few days before the official introduction of the first fully electric Bentley, the Torcal, a set of near-official pictures has leaked, thanks to the unstoppable hunger for exclusive news from sites like Cochespias.
Bentley reacted by officially unveiling the car three days later, so in this update we replace the ‘spy photos’ with the manufacturer’s official pictures.
Design
Most of the people we’ve already heard about it admit that they have their doubts about the outright design. Of course, we leave it to you and the potential Bentley clientele to be the ultimate judge, but we have our doubts.
If somebody had told us this would be the next super-premium Chinese SUV from a make like Hongqi, we would have believed him. The nose is pompous and features an illuminated grille, a must these days, while the lights will surely be technically up to date but won’t draw any special attention whatsoever.
The side view reminds us of the Porsche Cayenne, with a few different folding details here and there, which is understandable since both cars are technical twins. The rear is rather incomprehensible. Was it really necessary for aerodynamic reasons to have the tailgate so deep into the bodywork, with a bodykit underneath that seems to have escaped from some uninspired car tuner?
Bentley design clearly doesn’t fit with SUVs. We already said this when the Bentayga came out, and it looked very dated from the start. This Torcal may have more personality, but if it fits the classical, timeless design language of other Bentleys, we have our doubts.
Nevertheless, Bentley CEO Frank-Stephen Walliser is proud of what his people achieved: “The Torcal is a Bentley first and foremost, created by hand by people who care, using the best available materials and technology to blend heritage with cutting-edge innovation. I believe this is one of the best Bentleys ever.”
New exterior design chief
Is this the reason why Bentley hired a new exterior design chief just a month ago? T.Jon Mayer is the new Head of Exterior Design and Design Operations, succeeding Domen Rucigaj, who has moved to a new position within the Volkswagen Group.
Mayer joined Bentley in 2024 as Head of UX Design and Design Operations. Prior to Bentley, he spent 13 years at Volvo Cars, holding senior leadership positions including Head of Exterior Design and Head of Design, Volvo Cars USA.
During this time, he led exterior design for vehicles including the EX60, EX30, S60, V60, and V60 Cross Country, helping shape Volvo’s modern design language and contributing to one of the brand’s most recognizable design signatures, the Thor’s Hammer headlight.
He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University before continuing his studies at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. He will be reporting to Robin Page, Bentley’s overall Director of Design.
We sincerely hope that Mayer can bring back the style and sheer timelessness of former Bentleys, like the Continental GT when it appeared in 2003. It also (re)started Bentley’s rise to success. If not, Dirk Van Braekel, please come back. Everything is forgiven. Van Braekel is the Belgian car designer and the father of the much-applauded Continental GT.
Brother of the Cayenne
As we’ve already mentioned, the Torcal is the technical twin brother of the recently introduced Porsche Cayenne Electric. It also sits on the PPE platform, mainly used by Porsche and Audi in the group, and will be Bentley’s most powerful model ever.
The first Bentley with a fully electric powertrain, Torcal delivers performance “familiar to Bentley owners of any era, combining effortless power with precision”. Delivering up to 888 hp and the highest torque of any Bentley ever made, 1,350 Nm, Torcal can accelerate from 0-100 kph in 2.9 seconds.
In fact, the Torcal launches with two distinct versions: the core car and a more sporting S version. The core Torcal will launch with 821 hp and 1,194 Nm peak torque, accelerating to 100 kph from a standstill in 3.4 seconds and reaching a top speed of 250 kph. The S version, with the already mentioned 888 hp and 1,350 Nm, has a top speed of 260 kph. This version also has the rear diffuser, along with sports sills and front bumper strokes.
We can assume that an ultimate ‘Speed’ version will use the motors of the Cayenne Turbo, culminating in an 850 kW/1,156 hp powerhouse. The most powerful (ICE) Bentley at the moment is the Continental GT Speed, developing 575 kW/782 hp.
Fully active suspension, for the first time on a Bentley, and adaptive two-valve dampers aim for a true ‘magic carpet’ ride, while allowing a choice of chassis tune for each driving mode. Each damper can be raised or lowered instantly and independently, reacting to both road and driver inputs for maximum ride comfort and body control.
The system negates the need for anti-roll bars, using the reactive dampers to provide infinitely adjustable anti-roll torque. Agility is further increased by standard electronic All Wheel Steering, using rear steering angles up to five degrees to reduce the turning circle to 11.1 meters.
The Torcal measures five meters in length and is the shortest four-door in the model line-up, yet offers enough interior space, with a 460-liter boot supplemented by a 90-liter frunk. The car has a range of up to 600 km and can be charged from 10-80% in just under 20 minutes at 400 kW. The electric system is, of course, 800V.
Tricky business?
Whether the Torcal will succeed remains to be seen. Of course, it will be very powerful, very exclusive and impeccably finished, but finding clients for EVs in this super-luxury segment is not easy.
The Rolls-Royce Sceptre is a relative success; the Ferrari Luce has created a lot of controversy but is apparently sold out in 2026. It remains to be seen if the Bentley clientele, until now enjoying the ‘acoustic pleasure’ of a V8 or V12, preferably with an Akrapovic accent, will appreciate the electric sound, whatever that may be. Bentley has apparently hired an entire philharmonic orchestra to give the Torcal its own artificial sound.
