Bentley has finally gone electric, but thankfully, it hasn’t forgotten how to be a Bentley. Meet the all-new Torcal, the brand’s fourth model line and its first fully electric car, bringing 876 bhp, 1,350 Nm and enough handcrafted luxury to make most living rooms feel slightly inadequate.
The Torcal is being positioned as a new template for Bentley rather than simply an electric version of something that already exists. Designed, engineered and built in Crewe, it combines the brand’s familiar obsession with craftsmanship and comfort with a seriously modern electric powertrain. Bentley says it can deliver up to 876 bhp and 1,350 Nm, with the Torcal S capable of sprinting from 0-100 kph in just 2.9 seconds. And while those numbers are properly outrageous, Bentley insists that the Torcal has been engineered to deliver its performance in a progressive and accessible manner. That is a very Bentley way of saying, “Yes, it is absurdly fast, but we would prefer you arrive feeling refreshed.”
A new face for Bentley
The Torcal is a low, sleek SUV with a long wheelbase, short overhangs and an upright stance. Bentley’s designers have introduced a new design language while retaining familiar cues from the brand’s past. The illuminated diamond grille is one of the biggest talking points, while the rear gets a cleaner, more uncluttered treatment. The body tapers towards the rear and builds over the rear wheels, creating what Bentley calls the ‘resting beast’. It is a rather fitting description because, underneath all that polished British restraint, there is quite a lot of muscle waiting to be unleashed.
Inside, the diamond theme continues across surfaces, textures and patterns. The cabin combines leather, wool, veneer and aluminium, while physical controls remain on the centre console and steering wheel. Bentley has also fitted new 16-way adjustable seats with heating, ventilation, adjustable bolsters and massage functions.
There is also a rather lovely selection of sustainable materials. The Torcal gets the world’s first 100 per cent Merino wool automotive fabric, developed with British wool specialists Fox Brothers. There is also an Ombré Walnut finish made using up to 1,000 layers of responsibly sourced walnut off-cuts and recycled paper. Because apparently even the wood inside your Bentley now needs a backstory.
Electric, but unmistakably Bentley
The Torcal uses two permanent magnet synchronous motors, one at each axle, with the rear motor featuring a locking differential. The 113 kWh net battery operates on an 800 V architecture and is covered by a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty.
The core Torcal produces 810 bhp and 1,194 Nm, manages 0-100 kph in 3.4 seconds and has a top speed of 250 kph. The Torcal S ups that to 876 bhp and 1,350 Nm with Launch Control, cuts the 0-100 kph time to 2.9 seconds and raises the top speed to 260 kph.
But Bentley hasn’t focused solely on straight-line fireworks. The Torcal gets fully active suspension for the first time in a Bentley, with individually controlled dampers that can react to road and driver inputs. Rear-wheel steering, meanwhile, can turn the rear wheels by up to five degrees and reduce the turning circle to 11.1 metres. That should make manoeuvring this five-metre luxury SUV around town considerably less stressful.
600 km of silent grand touring
The Torcal promises up to 600 km of WLTP range, while its 400 kW charging capability allows the battery to go from 10 to 80 per cent in under 20 minutes. Bentley says 161 km of range can be added in just seven minutes. It also packs 460 litres of boot space, another 90 litres in the front storage area and a suite of driver assistance systems supported by 25 radars, sensors and cameras. But perhaps the most interesting part of the Torcal is something you cannot measure with a stopwatch.
Bentley has created a handcrafted soundtrack called the Bentley Dynamic Symphony, using real instruments including drums, viola and bass guitar, inspired by the rhythm of its legendary V8. It changes with torque demand and vehicle speed and can be made more prominent in Sport mode or switched off entirely. So yes, the Bentley Torcal is electric. But Bentley clearly isn’t ready to let it become soulless.
With two versions, sophisticated chassis technology, 600 km of range and an interior that looks like a particularly wealthy British drawing room discovered in electricity, the Torcal represents a significant new chapter for Bentley. The future may be electric, but at Crewe, it still appears to be wearing very expensive shoes.
