TransportationTechCarsBentley\u2019s Torcal EV tries to balance authenticity with fake V8 soundsThe British automaker is on the hunt for a new demographic with its first electric vehicle.The British automaker is on the hunt for a new demographic with its first electric vehicle.by Peter NelsonSep 7, 2026, 11:00 AM UTCShareGiftImage: BentleyThanks to their ability to provide a smooth ride and quiet powertrain with ease, electric vehicles are a true shoo-in for the high-end luxury automotive segment. Rolls-Royce has the Spectre, Cadillac\u2019s Celestiq is taking bespoke to a whole new level, and Mercedes has given the EQS the full Maybach treatment. From Volkswagen Auto Group, Bentley is just about to debut its 2027 Torcal, a spacious SUV that shares a platform with the electrified Porsche Cayenne.I recently got a quick ride in a heavily camouflaged preproduction Torcal as a way to experience it before its official debut toward the end of this month. Between this brute\u2019s spacious interior, supple ride quality, and focus on craftsmanship in the digital age, all signs point to it not just being a viable competitor in the segment, but also characteristically Bentley.When I say heavily camouflaged, this not only covers (pun intended) the Torcal\u2019s exterior, but the interior as well.<\/p>\n
Thick black cloth was draped over most of it, to the point of the engineers punching holes in the cloth for proper seatbelt usage. The exterior was rather deceiving, too; apparently they affixed false body paneling under the wrap so as not to fully spoil its overall shape and profile. Upon first glance, it seemed like Bentley took a page from Lucid\u2019s Gravity by making it wider at the front than at the back\u2014in the name of teardrop-resembling aerodynamics\u2014but Martin Page, the Torcal\u2019s product line director-slash-chauffeur for my ride, assured me that what I was seeing (or rather, trying to see) wouldn\u2019t be production.PreviousNext1\/6However, this enabled me to zero in closer on what I could feel and hear. Whether up front or in back, the Torcal is amply spacious, even though it\u2019s noticeably smaller in size and shape than Bentley\u2019s current Bentayga.<\/p>\n
Page explained the great lengths that engineers reached to ensure it had an isolating and tremendously smooth ride. Running off-the-shelf two-chamber air suspension \u2014 common in the rest of the brand\u2019s lineup \u2014 would seemingly suffice with an EV\u2019s inherently good chassis balance, but engineers took it a step further by carefully altering the flow of oil through its adaptive dampers. This means that the jump in ride and handling between Comfort and Sport modes is much more discernible. No matter the mode, it rode incredibly smoothly.<\/p>\n
Heavy focus was paid to the Torcal\u2019s alignment, too, with steering that returns to and maintains center as confidently as possible.Diving deeper into signature Bentley characteristics, developing the best simulated engine note was high on the list of priorities. Inspiration came from the brand\u2019s V8-powered Turbo R of the 1980s, except the track itself was recorded by a musician\u2019s drum beat and mixed accordingly, rather than simply churned out from a synthesizer.\u201cWhat we wanted to do throughout the car is maintain craftsmanship, not only in the materials but also in the way we execute the digital aspects,\u201d Page shared.\u201cWhat we wanted to do throughout the car is maintain craftsmanship, not only in the materials but also in the way we execute the digital aspects.\u201d\u2014 Martin Page, Torcal\u2019s product line directorThe reasoning behind this lies in hearing subtle imperfections, much like one would from an analogue internal combustion powertrain. Going one step further, the Torcal\u2019s throttle tuning seemed to mimic a torquey V8 with progressive power delivery. In light of this, Page added that with this sound turned on, it gives occupants auditory cues to tie to the vehicle\u2019s torque delivery, which is known to help reduce motion sickness.<\/p>\n
The sound has not yet been finalized and is still being finely tweaked at the time of this writing.I got a peek at the digital instrument cluster and center infotainment screen \u2014 Page had to observe the speed limit, after all. The image these display in the background is of a fine crystal decanter hand-cut by Cumbria Crystal with light shone through it. In Page\u2019s words, this shows the natural refractions and reflections that you get from every one of the cuts. It\u2019s another indication of the brand\u2019s focus on craftsmanship in the digital age, albeit a subtle one.It\u2019s also worth pointing out that Bentley takes net environmental impact seriously. \u201cIn this car we take sustainability to another level, we have clear targets for circular material and green aluminum,\u201d Page shared. \u201cThe door cards are made with a natural fiber \u2014 not injection-molded plastic \u2014 that\u2019s fully recyclable and fully sustainable.\u201dThen, Bentley is working with fellow UK company Fox Brothers to offer a Merino wool interior option, not just as a lesser-taken route for comfort (Volvo\u2019s done well with wool, too) but also as a sturdy, renewable material that will hold up to automotive use.<\/p>\n
Finally, the assembly plant in Crewe, England, has tough requirements for green energy use (namely solar) and other renewable practices.Output, battery, and charging specs are not carved into stone just yet. Power will be north of 800 hp and 700 lb ft of torque, and curb weight is estimated to be nearly 6,000 lbs. Page was quiet about battery size (though, expect it to mirror the Porsche\u2019s 108 net kWh unit), and the targeted range is over 370 miles. With a peak charging rate of 400 kW, the brand is aiming for a 10\u201380 percent top-up in under 20 minutes, with 100 miles tacking on in as little as seven.\u201cWe\u2019re trying to be authentic in the whole experience,\u201d Page summed up as we headed back to the parking lot where I met him.The approach with the Torcal is to make a great Bentley first, and in the process of doing so, a great EV.<\/p>\n
It combines some already hashed-out tech from Volkswagen, but the brand is hoping its focus on craftsmanship and fine-tuning will attract discerning, well-heeled potential customers who want an electric luxury vehicle. Pricing hasn\u2019t been announced yet, but it will be interesting to see how the Torcal is received after its full official unveiling.Images by BentleyFollow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Peter NelsonCarsElectric CarsHands-onReviewsTechTransportationVolkswagenMost PopularDIY plug-in solar gains momentum in the USAn Amazon cargo plane crashed at Miami International AirportWhat to expect at Apple\u2019s September 9th launch eventBoox\u2019s tiny Picco e-reader should land in NovemberThe Fairphone 6 Plus is the midrange phone we desperately neededAdvertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native ad<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TransportationTechCarsBentley\u2019s Torcal EV tries to balance authenticity with fake V8 soundsThe British automaker is on the hunt for a new demographic with its first electric vehicle.The British automaker is on the hunt for a new\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15591,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.tcjhomeaccents.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.tcjhomeaccents.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.tcjhomeaccents.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.tcjhomeaccents.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.tcjhomeaccents.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15590"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/demo.tcjhomeaccents.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15590\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.tcjhomeaccents.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.tcjhomeaccents.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.tcjhomeaccents.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.tcjhomeaccents.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}