Bentley revealed its all-new Torcal in London this week, becoming the brand’s fourth model line and a template for Bentley models of the future.

Designed, engineered and built in Crewe, the Bentley Torcal is the result of a new design language which results in a low, sleek SUV with the most advanced chassis technology to date. It will be available to buy in both core (starting at £173,000) and sporty S (£199,300) models from launch.

Powertrain & comfort

The Torcal is the first Bentley with a fully electric powertrain, delivering 875bhp and 1,350Nm of torque — the highest of any Bentley ever made — and enabling a 0-60mph sprint in 2.8 seconds.

As comfortable a ride as a Flying Spur is what Bentley has strived for here, helped by fully active suspension for the first time on a Bentley, with adaptive two-valve dampers. Each damper can be raised or lowered instantaneously, reacting to both road and driver inputs for maximum ride comfort and body control. No anti-roll bars are needed here.

An iron braking system, with 420mm front discs and 370mm rears, comes as standard, although customers can upgrade to a Carbon Silicon Carbide (CSiC) ceramic system, which increases the front discs to 440mm and rear to 410mm. Both options are available with black, red or grey calipers, and a further three colours through the Mulliner programme.

Range & Technology

The five metre long Torcal is still the shortest four-door model in Bentley’s lineup, yet offers 460 litres of boot space and 90 litres of front storage. A total of 375 miles of range is available on a single charge, while a 10-80% charge should take under 20 minutes at 400 kW, giving 100 miles of top-up in just seven minutes.

Thanks to the latest ADAS technologies, driving, parking and everything in between are made easier thanks to a total of 25 radars, sensors and cameras around the car, which provide it with all the data it needs to interact with its surroundings. There are also assistance systems for towing, garage, parallel parking and remote parking via App.

Bentley says it wanted things in the Torcal to feel more effortless. This is seen in handy features like the closing of the doors, which can be initiated by a passenger putting on their seat belt or via the main touchscreen, while the driver can close their door by applying pressure to the brake pedal.

A new Frosted Diamond switchable-glass sunroof allows customers to tailor light and atmosphere to their preference.

Drums, viola and bass guitar create ‘engine’ noise

Bentley is proud of its esteemed history of engines, which dates back to the very first 3 Litre of 1919.

In order to continue this trend, the Torcal’s development team has aimed to create a powerful ‘engine’ noise similar to a Bentley V8 using real instruments including drums, viola and bass guitar. They call it the Bentley Dynamic Symphony and it comes with subtle variations and tiny imperfections for a more authentic feel,

Creating more of a connection between driver and car, the sound is calibrated in response to driver torque demand and vehicle speed. The volume of the Dynamic Symphony increases when the car is in Sport mode and can also be turned off completely if silence is preferred. The indicators also come with a unique sound of their own, taken from a recording at Bentley’s upholstery workshop of a hammer striking a leather surface.

If music’s more your thing, two audio systems are offered, starting with the entry 620W, 16-speaker system and finishing with the bigger 1,780W, 28-speaker package that includes kinaesthetic seat shakers and front headrest speakers, along with Dolby Atmos 7.1.

Drive modes

In the Torcal, four different drive modes — Bentley, Comfort, Sport and Refresh — not only change the feeling when driving, but also how the light, sound, airflow and digital information are provided to people in the car.

Interior

Inside, luxury is more than a promise, with an extensive palette choice full of the finest and most innovative materials on the market all available, in what Bentley says has a “clear focus on sustainability”.

In terms of choice, there are 15 different shades of olive tan leather, 15 matching shades of Dinamica, and pure Merino wool in five colours. These are joined by six wood veneer options and six Piano finishes.

New material options offered include the newOmbré Walnut by Mulliner, which has been developed for the Torcal and is made up of one thousand individually selected layers of responsibly sourced walnut off-cuts and craft (recycled) paper, carefully pressed together and then sliced to less than a millimetre in thickness. Four distinct walnut shades create a modern but traditional-looking luxurious look.

Another new interior feature is Sunburst Aluminium by Mulliner, which reinterprets the aluminium dashboards from Bentley’s past and gives them a fresh feel.

“The Torcal has taken the elements that define a Bentley to extraordinary new levels”

Martin Page, Product Line Director, Torcal: “The Torcal represents something new, and I think unique. It has been engineered with great care to ensure it remains a Bentley to its core, enhanced rather than dominated by technology – from luxury, to refinement and effortless performance – the Torcal has taken the elements that define a Bentley to extraordinary new levels.”

words: Mike Booth
pictures: Bentley

All-new £173k Bentley Torcal is a template for the brand’s future models