Latest news with #EXP15
Man of Many
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Man of Many
Bentley's ‘EXP 15' Concept is a Sneak Peek at its First EV, Due in 2026
By Somnath Chatterjee - News Published: 21 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 4 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Futuristic concept showcases what future EVs from Bentley could look like Incorporates an illuminated grille which mimics the current design Upcoming EV will have an AWD electric powertrain Bentley is best known for its slightly imperious but lavishly trimmed luxury cars. Slightly more sporting than Rolls-Royce, though, Bentley manages to make luxury cars that also deliver the power to swallow vast distances with ease. However, with an electric future looming large, Bentley has had to do change with the times—but it's done so by looking into its glorious back catalogue. You see, Bentley used to make a car called the 'Speed Six Gurney Nutting Sportsman' coupe in the 1930s which had an unusual body style: a high-riding coupe with a fastback sloping roofline. Now, the automaker's new 'EXP 15' concept follows in those footsteps but with an even more outrageous design, and shows what the next EV from Bentley could look like. Bentley EXP 15 Concept EV | Image: Bentley This concept hints at the brand's electric future and some design cues will eventually be added to the production EV due next year while the interior is made in virtual reality. Standing tall and measuring more than five-metres, the EXP 15 concept divides opinion in terms of its styling but, to us, the design screams Bentley. The grille is not the usual EV-esque body-coloured affair, and is instead an illuminated art piece. The new Bentley badge also now sits inside the grille while new vertical headlamps give it a menacing glare. Bentley EXP 15 Concept EV | Image: Bentley Bentley EXP 15 Concept EV | Image: Bentley Move to the side and that's where things get interesting: the EXP 15 gets a unique 3-door design much like the Hyundai Veloster plus there are two active rear spoilers along with a large diffuser. The ride height is more than a typical sedan but still shorter than an SUV, delivering an interesting crossover of sorts. Inside, there is a 3-seat configuration as the space next to the driver has been reserved for taking pets or luggage—also a nod to the bespoke vintage cars. The rear seats and the passenger side seat can swivel 45 degrees for easier ingress/egress while the cabin is bathed in traditional luxury elements, and Bentley has designed the cabin to include both physical and digital design details, along with a mix of traditional, artisanal, and sustainable materials. You can even use the car's boot space as a picnic table. Bentley EXP 15 Concept EV | Image: Bentley Bentley EXP 15 Concept EV | Image: Bentley 'The beauty of a concept car is not just to position our new design language, but to test where the market's going. It's clear that SUVs are a growing segment and we understand the GT market – through four generations of the Continental GT – but the trickiest segment is the sedan because it's changing,' said Robin Page, Bentley's director of design. 'Some customers want a classic 'three-box' sedan shape, others a 'one-box' design, and others again something more elevated. (The EXP 15 is) a chance for us to talk to people and get a feeling.' Bentley EXP 15 Concept EV | Image: Bentley Like any typical Bentley there is a lot of knurled switchgear too and the jewellery is in abundance with a superb attention to detail. The digital interface throughout the dashboard can be turned off to embrace a digital detoxication while being covered by some fine wood veneer for the passengers to ogle at. It seems Bentley is attempting to keep some balance between technology and giving its customers the feel of physical buttons, along with its traditional luxury vibe. The EXP 15 is purely a concept, not a work of science fiction, since we can expect many of these details to actually trickle down to its first EV. Whenever that arrives, we can expect a powerful AWD configuration with many motors developing more power than any of its current V8 cars along with a plethora of technology. Bentley EXP 15 Concept EV | Image: Bentley Bentley EXP 15 Concept EV | Image: Bentley Bentley EXP 15 Concept EV | Image: Bentley Bentley EXP 15 Concept EV | Image: Bentley
AU Financial Review
3 days ago
- Automotive
- AU Financial Review
Bentley throws out the rule book as it enters a new electric era
Bentley has hinted at its future with a raised all-electric limousine, the EXP15 concept. Should it be built, it will not look exactly like the show car, however, nor will it be the first electric Bentley. That will be a new SUV that is smaller, sportier and faster than the manufacturer's petrol-powered luxury SUV, the Bentayga. This new SUV – to be unveiled late next year and as yet unnamed – will nonetheless exhibit some of the bold styling displayed on the EXP15.
Auto Car
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep.149)
Close This week finds Steve Cropley and Matt Prior talking about Bentley's new EXP15 design concept, and to what extent they had Jaguar in mind when they created it. Cropley goes to Silverstone for some of the British Grand Prix weekend, Prior drives a Ferrari F80 and Bugatti W16 Mistral, and the pair talk much more besides, including your correspondence. You can make sure you never miss an Autocar podcast by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure you never miss an Autocar podcast. Subscribe to our podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts or via your preferred podcast platform. And if you subscribe, rate and review the pod, we'd really appreciate that too.
The Independent
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Bentley's dog-friendly concept previews new electric urban SUV
Bentley is heading to an electric future, and this concept gives us our biggest clues yet what it will look like. The Bentley EXP 15 is a futuristic three-seat grand tourer concept that looks to the future while tipping its hat to the past. This is not a car you'll see on the road any time soon – or ever, in fact. Like all EXP models (EXP standing for Experimental Prototype) this one is a statement of intent, not a showroom model. But it's a bold and brilliant one, offering a taste of where Bentley is headed as it embarks on its journey into electrification with its all-electric urban SUV due to be unveiled next year. Inspired by the legendary 1930 Bentley Speed Six Gurney Nutting Coupe – better known as the 'Blue Train' – the EXP 15's proportions are unmistakably grand. There's a long 'endless' bonnet, a rearward-set cabin and a proud upright grille. It's every inch the grand tourer of Bentley lore, albeit wrapped in some very 21st-century tech and style. Just like the original Blue Train car that famously raced across France faster than the train it was named after, the EXP 15 has performance in its DNA – even if we don't yet know the numbers. It's imagined as a fully electric, all-wheel-drive machine, capable of covering big miles in silence and style, with a long range and fast charging. What you can see, though, is dramatic. The front grille remains large and iconic – despite not needing to feed air to a combustion engine – and now acts as a digital canvas lit up with intricate LED detailing. Slim lights frame it like jewellery, while a new 'prestigious shield' tailgate design and muscular rear haunches make for a powerful stance. Active aerodynamics, including deployable spoilers and a rear diffuser, show Bentley is serious about EV efficiency. Perhaps the most intriguing part of EXP 15 is the inside. Bentley's interior designers have let their imaginations off the leash and the result is a remarkable fusion of old-school craftsmanship and the very latest tech. The three-seat layout places the driver and a rear seat behind one another on one side, while the passenger gets a throne-like perch with a canopy that can wrap around them for privacy. Naturally, that seat swivels outwards to aid graceful exits. Then there's the tech. A huge dashboard spans the cabin, capable of switching from digital interface to beautiful wood veneer at the touch of a button. Nestled within is the so-called 'mechanical marvel' – a delightful centrepiece of moving illuminated fingers that's part art installation, part instrument cluster. It's Bentley's way of blending the physical and digital, and it works a treat. Even the boot gets in on the act – lift the rear hatch and you'll find not just storage but picnic seating, an ambient lamp and a fridge for chilled drinks. It's glamping, Bentley-style. Material choices are equally imaginative. A 100% wool textile by Fox Brothers – the firm behind thorn-proof cloth for centuries – features in a damson ombre finish, paired with 3D-printed titanium trim. A fine silk jacquard from Gainsborough Textiles – another British heritage brand – lines parts of the interior, while a new aluminium-based paint finish called pallas gold adds a liquid metal sheen to the bodywork. Cleverly, it's thin enough to let radar signals pass through it, making it future proof for autonomy, too. Bentley design boss Robin Page said 'the beauty of a concept car is not just to position our new design language, but to test where the market's going. It's clear that SUVs are a growing segment and we understand the GT market – through four generations of the Continental GT – but the trickiest segment is the sedan because it's changing. Some customers want a classic 'three-box' sedan shape, others a 'one-box' design, and others again something more elevated. So this was a chance for us to talk to people and get a feeling.' The exterior follows five design principles that will inform Bentley's future production cars: Upright Elegance, Iconic Grille, Endless Bonnet Line, Resting Beast stance, and Prestigious Shield. There's even a nod to thoroughbred horses in the car's silhouette – gently upright and poised like a champion ready to gallop. Inside, the guiding themes are just as poetic: Wing Gesture design for the dashboard; Bold Gravitas for generous surfaces and real materials; Cocooning Haven for comfort and privacy; Iconic Details like knurled switches and diamond patterns; and Magical Fusion – the blend of digital and mechanical that makes this interior so special. As ever with Bentley, it's not just about looking good – it's about feeling good. EXP 15 is designed to be thoughtful, intuitive and luxurious in equal measure. Whether it's adjusting to your mood, accommodating your pet or serving up a fridge-chilled drink from the boot, this concept has all bases covered. So no, you won't be able to buy the EXP 15 – but you will see bits of it again, especially in next year's Luxury Urban SUV, which will be the first reimagined production Bentley for the electric age.
Courier-Mail
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Courier-Mail
Bentley's EXP 15 concept previews luxury brand's electric future
Don't miss out on the headlines from On the Road. Followed categories will be added to My News. Bentley's drive for the future is as bold as its vehicles. A daring new concept car, the EXP 15, paves the road ahead for a brand that has juggled tech and tradition for decades. Though Bentley originally planned to release its first EV in 2025, we are still waiting to see what form that car will take. Like many brands, Bentley has pushed back its electrification plan to make sure it delivers something customers are ready for. Bentley's EXP 15 concept. Picture: Supplied Bentley factory in Crewe. (Picture: Supplied) MORE: Jet pilot tech tested for drivers The company is now focusing on a new goal of offering a complete line-up of electric vehicles by 2035. A key detail in the company's strategy is to ensure that the Bentley Dream Factory in Crewe is fully operational for EV production by the time they start rolling out their first EV product. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY Bentley has recently opened a new paint shop and an 'Excellence Centre for Quality and Launch', marking a significant milestone in transforming the 85-year-old site for a new era of electrification. Bentley says the new facilities aim to set a new benchmark in next-generation, digital, flexible, and high-value manufacturing operations. it is now shifting its focus to constructing a new logistics centre, with the completion timeline aimed for later this year. We still don't know much about the new full-electric vehicle being launched in 2026, except that it is a luxury urban SUV. Bentley's factory in Crewe. Picture: Supplied The brand prides itself on attention to detail. Picture: Supplied Bentley recently revealed the EXP 15 concept electric vehicle, which gives us the best idea yet of what the brand's first EV might look like. The EXP 15 draws design inspiration from the marque's renowned 'Blue Train' Speed Six of 1930 and features an all-electric, all-wheel-drive powertrain that will ultimately replace its iconic V8 and W12 engines. Bentley's EXP 15 concept points to an electric future. Picture: Supplied The EXP 15 concept has bold styling. Picture: Supplied MORE: Luxury vans to shock Australia With its radical three-door layout and emphasis on tactile controls, the EXP 15 offers an exciting preview of Bentley's commitment to performance and luxury in an electric era. Bentley's design director Robin Page said the car is an opportunity to explore new approaches. 'It's clear the SUVs are a growing segment, and we understand the GT market (through four generations of Continental GT), but the trickiest segment is the sedan because it's changing,' he said. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY 'Some customers want a classic 'three-box' sedan shape, others a 'one-box design, and others again something more elevated. 'The EXP 15 falls somewhere in between, with raised ride height and a sloped fastback-style roof line, but many familiar elements from Bentley's two-door and four-door models.' At the front, slim vertical LED lights frame a bold new take on Bentley's iconic upright grille. Bentley has chosen to retain the upright grille as a way to maintain one of its most iconic design elements. Although electric vehicles do not require a grille for cooling, Page noted that the grille would evolve into a form of 'digital art.' EXP 15 concept. (Picture: Supplied) Behind it, it retains Bentley's signature 'endless' bonnet line, but rather than hiding a combustion engine, it conceals two luggage compartments beneath piano-hinged covers inspired by the 1930 Bentley Gurney Nutting coupe. The top of the bonnet also debuts Bentley's new logo. At the back of the car, the pillars beside the rear window taper inward, giving it a sleek 'boattail' shape that enhances the wide rear wheel arches. The tailgate features two high-mounted spoilers that connect seamlessly to slim, C-shaped tail-lights. These lights frame a new design element known as the 'Prestigious Shield,' which showcases the Bentley badge. Inside, the EXP 15 features a radical three-door, three-seat layout, which takes inspiration from the one-off 'Blue Train' Speed Six. EXP 15 concept. (Picture: Supplied) MORE: The best car of the 21st century There's a single door on the driver's side in true coupe style, while the passenger side gets a two-door saloon set up. How does this configuration make logical sense? Well, according to the brand, it does. Here's why. Bentleys are traditionally bought by people who like to drive themselves and occasionally be driven. The least important seat in the car is the front passenger's, so it's been replaced with a luxury pet bed or additional luggage storage space. EXP 15 concept. (Picture: Supplied) The dashboard is shaped like the Bentley wings and includes physical tactile switches, as customers are increasingly tired of digital buttons and prefer the responsiveness of physical controls. Bentley has not released specific technical details about the EXP 15's powertrain, but the confirmed all-wheel-drive electric system, likely featuring two motors, suggests that Bentley's future EVs will uphold their legacy of both performance and luxury. Although the EXP 15 is just a concept and won't be arriving at any dealerships in Australia, we can expect to see features from this innovative design integrated into the luxury brand's first electric vehicle. Originally published as How Bentley is preparing for the electrified era
