Bentley unveils Torcal, its first electric SUV, with charging and in-car sound focus

Autocar rendering showcases how Torcal will draw on the EXP 15 concept Call it Charlie Watts: the first electric Bentley plays the drums rather than faking engine note Bentley’s first electric car will replace the roar of a large-capacity combustion engine with an orchestral soundtrack that uses musical instruments to mimic the character of a V8. Rather than synthesise an engine noise like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N or amplify the actual sound of its EV motors like the Ferrari Luce, the new Torcal SUV takes an entirely different approach to fill the silence of an electric powertrain. Bentley took inspiration from the “incredible engines” in its back catalogue – including the very early supercharged motors of the 1930s, the long-serving 6.75-litre V8 and the more recent W12 – as it worked to create a distinctive ‘engine note’ for the Torcal. The priority, said Bentley, was to ensure its debut EV provided the same “immersive and emotional experience” under acceleration as its petrol-powered forebears - an experience it likens to “listening to a grand orchestral performance”.  To that end, Bentley put a V8 engine in a studio and analysed its aural characteristics, determining that “rhythm, rather than pure mechanical tone, was central to its emotional appeal”. Comparing the V8 with a live drummer, it said, “revealed striking similarities in energy, cadence and impact”. Another finding was that a combustion engine soundtrack is “not perfectly uniform” but rather contains subtle variations and imperfections that “introduce a distinctly human quality”.  The end result is the ‘Bentley Dynamic Symphony’ (listen below), which “is not designed to replicate an engine but to evoke the same feelings”.  Primarily using drums to replicate the thump and thrum of a V8 engine, the Torcal’s soundtrack will also feature viola and bass guitar to create a “powerful and emotive” feeling on the move. Bentley said it will respond to driver inputs too, suggesting the tempo will increase under acceleration and vice versa. The Torcal, which is in the final stages of testing ahead of its unveiling on 23 September in London, will effectively be a production-ready interpretation of the EXP 15 concept that Bentley revealed last year as a showcase of its new-era design language. Like the Bentayga, Bacalar and Batur, the Torcal is named after a natural landmark, in this case El Torcal de Antequera, a limestone rock landscape in Andalusia, Spain. The moniker is also a nod to the Latin verb 'torquere', which means to twist and is the origin of the word 'torque'. The 5m-long SUV will sit below the Bentayga in Bentley's line-up. Defining features that were previewed on the earlier show car include a striking illuminated grille panel, new-look vertical LED quad headlights and - as the first official preview image reveals – the so-called "prestigious shield" at the rear, which is modelled on the luggage carriers fitted to vintage Bentley tourers. While it's similar in silhouette to Bentley's existing SUV and not significantly smaller, the Torcal is wholly distinct in its design. It is not intended as a replacement for the V8-powered Bentayga, which will remain on sale and gain a new combustion-powered generation in 2028, in line with Bentley's strategy of offering a multi-powertrain offering globally. The Torcal was originally scheduled to make its market debut last year but was pushed back in light of weak demand for electric luxury cars. The other EVs that were due to follow it have been similarly delayed, with Bentley scrapping its earlier plan to go all-electric by 2030. The firm will now instead launch a new plug-in hybrid or pure-electric model each year until 2035. Rival brands including Aston Martin, Porsche, Lotus and Lamborghini have also slowed their EV transition plans and now Bentley will be first to market with an EV in this price bracket. The Torcal is expected to go on sale from around £170,000 - roughly halfway between the likes of premium propositions including the BMW iX and Volvo EX90, and full-blown ultra-luxury models like the Rolls-Royce Spectre and Ferrari Luce. Its closest rival will be the new electric Range Rover. Bentley believes now is the right time to launch its first electric car, despite the market uncertainty. It claims the new SUV will be "the right car in the right environment more of the time", touting day-to-day practicality as one of its defining attributes. Bentley has confirmed it will offer a range of "more than 300 miles". Bentley director of design Robin Page previously told Autocar the Torcal will not chase any outright range records. "We're finding that there's a sweet spot in terms of range. Our customers are basically telling us that 300-350 miles is that sweet spot. Beyond that, they'll use the private jet," he said. Underneath, the Torcal will be closely related to the Porsche Cayenne Electric, mirroring the relationship between the Bentayga and petrol-powered Cayenne. Based on the same PPE electric architecture as its German cousin, the Bentley is set to take its power from a 113kWh battery capable of charging at up to 390kW, which in the Porsche allows for a 10-80% top-up in fewer than 16 minutes. Like the Porsche, the Bentley is expected to be dual-motor as standard, but Bentley has not yet indicated whether it plans to match the heady output of the flagship Cayenne Turbo, which has 1140bhp and 1106lb ft. The 657bhp of the mid-rung Cayenne S would seem more in keeping with the Torcal's refined remit. Bentley has still to preview the cabin of its new model, but recent spy shots reveal it will feature the same curved central touchscreen as the Cayenne, portrait-oriented and split into two sections: infotainment at the top and climate control settings below. However, while this will be the largest screen yet fitted in a Bentley at 14.25in - it is unlikely to herald an all-out focus on digital controls. The future-looking EXP 15 concept's cabin placed a renewed emphasis on physical controls to cater to the modern luxury buyer's analogue preferences. "What we're finding, especially at our end of the market, is that people are a bit bored with full-digital screens," said Page earlier, suggesting that Bentley may not offer a secondary passenger touchscreen, as Porsche does. "What makes us premium is to keep a good level of mechanical detailing that the others can't do." Bentley will reveal further details in the run-up to the Torcal's debut in September, which will be around the time the electric Range Rover is officially revealed and just a few weeks before Jaguar takes the wraps off the long-awaited Type 01 GT - making it a landmark moment for the UK's automotive industry and taking the country's series-production EV count from two to five.

Bentley has announced its first electric vehicle will be called Torcal, an ‘urban SUV’ set to be unveiled later this year, alongside a single teaser image.

Bentley has unveiled the Torcal, its first electric SUV, betting on premium craftsmanship and fast charging despite slowing demand across the luxury EV segment.

The new Torcal arrives this fall riding on Cayenne Electric bones and will be sold alongside the combustion-powered Bentayga

Bentley has confirmed that it will finally add an electric car to its exclusive lineup.

The new model will be officially unveiled in late September.