Meet the new Torcal: 888PS, 0-60mph in 2.8 seconds and 375 miles of range as Bentley enters the electric age

Bentley has pulled the covers off one of the most important cars in its 107-year history – the all-new Torcal, its first fully electric production car and an entirely new fourth model line.

Designed, engineered and built in Crewe, the five-metre luxury SUV packs up to 888PS and a colossal 1,350Nm of torque, making it the highest-torque Bentley ever produced.

And despite all that leather, wool and handcrafted luxury, it is seriously quick.
The flagship Torcal S can launch from 0-60mph in just 2.8 seconds, reaching 100km/h in 2.9 seconds before topping out at 162mph.

Yet Bentley insists this isn’t simply an electric performance monster.

“The Torcal is a Bentley first and foremost, created by hand by people who care, using the best available materials and technology to blend heritage with cutting-edge innovation. I believe this is one of the best Bentleys ever,” said Bentley chairman and CEO Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser.

375 miles – and 100 more in seven minutes

Power comes from two electric motors and a huge 113kWh battery, with the Torcal offering a claimed range of up to 375 miles.

Find a suitably powerful 400kW charger and Bentley says around 100 miles can be added in just seven minutes, while a rapid charge takes the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in under 20 minutes.

The Torcal also introduces Bentley’s first fully active suspension, working with adaptive dampers and standard all-wheel steering.

Despite being five metres long, its rear-wheel steering helps give it an 11.1-metre turning circle.

There’s plenty of clever tech too. Some 25 radars, sensors and cameras monitor the car’s surroundings, while the Torcal can even automatically reverse along a narrow road to make way for an obstacle.

Four powered doors can open and close automatically, while facial recognition can identify the driver and load their personal settings.

An EV with the beat of a Bentley V8

The really unusual bit, though, is the noise.

Rather than simply creating a synthetic imitation of an engine, Bentley brought in musicians.

Drums, viola and bass guitar were used to create what it calls the Bentley Dynamic Symphony, with its rhythm inspired by the beat of Bentley’s 6¾-litre V8.

The sound changes according to speed and how hard the driver presses the accelerator, becomes more prominent in Sport mode – and can be switched off entirely when silence is preferred.

Even the indicator sound has been given the Bentley treatment. It comes from a recording of a hammer striking leather in the company’s upholstery workshop.
Inside, traditional craftsmanship meets some rather modern materials.

Bentley has worked with Somerset textile maker Fox Brothers to develop what it says is the world’s first 100 per cent Merino wool automotive fabric, alongside leather, aluminium and new sustainably sourced finishes.

The seats come with 16-way adjustment, heating, ventilation and massage as standard, while an optional Wellness specification can massage the occupant’s legs as well as their back and shoulders.

Curved OLED displays, an augmented-reality head-up display and a choice of four experience modes – Bentley, Comfort, Sport and Refresh – complete the transformation.

Two versions will be offered at launch. The standard Torcal produces 821PS and 1,194Nm, reaching 60mph in 3.3 seconds, while the Torcal S turns everything up to 888PS and 1,350Nm.

Bentley describes the Torcal as a template for its future cars, regardless of what powers them.

Electric Bentley has officially arrived – and it’s certainly not arriving quietly.