Bentley names its first electric vehicle the Torcal
Bentley’s first battery-electric model will join its lineup as the Torcal, with a full unveiling scheduled for September 23.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
2 min read
Bentley has named its first battery-electric vehicle the Torcal, setting up the luxury brand’s next model addition as it prepares to expand its lineup. Bentley said the car will be unveiled on September 23.
The Torcal will become a fourth model for Bentley, according to Ars Technica. The automaker has been developing its first EV for some time, with Autocar reporting a test vehicle in the Arctic Circle late last year and Motor1 later publishing footage of another example at the Nürburgring.
Bentley’s choice ends recent speculation over how the car would be badged. Car and Driver had reported that trademark filings in Europe and the UK pointed to Torcal, while the lack of a related US filing left room for another possibility: Barnato, a name tied to pre-war Bentley racer Woolf Barnato.
Barnato was linked to Bentley’s early racing history, including three wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1928, 1929 and 1930, according to Car and Driver. Bentley instead selected a name that fits the pattern it used for the Bentayga, Bacalar and Batur, drawing from natural places.
The Torcal name refers to El Torcal de Antequera, a nature park in Andalusia, Spain, known for limestone rock formations, according to Ars Technica. Bentley also connected the name to the Latin word “torquere,” which is related to the modern word torque.
That etymology points toward the character of the powertrain, Ars Technica reported, because electric motors are known for delivering strong torque with little delay. Bentley has not released performance figures, battery details or pricing in the information reported so far.
Frank-Steffen Walliser, Bentley’s chairman and CEO, framed the Torcal as a major step for the brand. In a statement, Walliser said Bentleys have long combined “effortless performance,” comfort, British craftsmanship, natural materials and “a soundtrack with soul,” and said the Torcal “sets extraordinary benchmarks” in areas the company considers important.
Ars Technica reported that Bentley is expected to build the Torcal at its factory in Crewe, England. As part of the Volkswagen Group, the model is expected to use the PPE electric platform, an architecture also associated with other group EVs such as the Porsche Cayenne electric.
The Torcal is also expected to take a different path from Rolls-Royce’s first EV, the Spectre, which launched as a two-door coupe, according to Ars Technica. Bentley’s EV is expected to share some visual direction with the EXP 15 concept, which the brand previously showed as a design study.
More details are expected when Bentley presents the Torcal on September 23.
This story draws on original reporting from Ars Technica.