The Name
They finally named it.
The Torcal.
Crewe’s first fully electric vehicle drops its “Urban SUV” disguise today. The reveal happens in London on September 23. It is an SUV, obviously, but smaller than the Bentayga. No combustion engine will ever live under that hood. Bentley is done with ICE versions of this model.
The name points to El Torcal de Antequera. A natural rock formation in Andalusia. Spain. It follows the same naming logic as the Bentayga, the Bacalar, and the Batur. Geography as branding. Classic luxury play.
The Shape
Spy shots from the Nürburgring give it away. The prototype looks boxy. Traditional.
The EXP 15 concept was wild, featuring that odd asymmetrical door layout—two on the left, one on the right. The production Torcal throws that out the window. Four doors. A conventional tailgate. It’s supposed to look modern, certainly more so than the current Bentayga which traces its lineage back to the 2012 EXP 9 F concept. The Torcal needs to stand apart from a model that’s been on sale for over a decade.
Still.
Some styling cues likely carry over from the concept. Just enough to look different. Not so much that it breaks the family resemblance. Every car with the Flying B mascot needs to look like a Bentley first, whatever comes after.
Under The Skin
No internal combustion. None.
Bentley has ruled out retrofitting this chassis for gas power. This is an EV-first design in that specific regard. But let’s be clear, they aren’t building a skateboard from zero. This is a Volkswagen Group asset. The Torcal will almost certainly share underpinnings with the upcoming Porsche Cayenne Electric.
It’s the Premium Platform Electric (PPE).
Here’s what that platform promises:
- 1,140 hp maximum output.
- 1,500 Nm (1,106 lb-ft) of torque.
- An 113 kWh battery.
- Roughly 400 miles of WLTP range.
- 400 kW charging support.
Those are Porsche numbers. Bentley might tune things down for refinement or ride comfort, but the potential is there. A dual-motor setup means acceleration will be brutal. The Cayenne Turbo hits 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds? Don’t bet against the Bentley keeping pace.
The 10-minute charge window adds about 202 miles of range. Fast.
Wireless charging remains a possibility. The Porsche offers 11 kW inductive charging. Slow. But convenient for a certain type of owner who hates plugs. Whether Bentley carries this over is anyone’s guess.
Why Now
Bentley pushed its 2030 EV-only goal. They missed the window. That timeline is dead. But the Torcal isn’t waiting. It’s coming now.
The goal isn’t just to replace the Bentayga eventually. It is to grab new eyes. New wallets.
Mike Rocco, the CEO of Bentley North America, says 80 percent of the people who saw the car in private showings in Miami and LA wanted to buy it. That is a strong signal. Or at least, it is a signal they are happy to amplify.
“80 percent said they would buy it.”
For those still hooked on the smell of gasoline? Don’t panic. Combustion engines and plug-in hybrids are staying around. For years, likely well into the next decade. The Torcal becomes a fourth model line, not a replacement. It widens the funnel rather than clogging the existing pipes.
We will know if it looks right when the covers come off in September.
Until then? We guess.
