Kenneth Glad
The luxury automotive sector is navigating shifting consumer preferences and an uncertain transition to electrification. A major new launch will soon put those trends into sharper focus.
Bentley is moving toward electric power at a moment when the luxury market looks less certain.
Its first battery-electric model is due this year, but rival brands are already slowing plans, cutting expectations or facing weaker demand.
A cautious debut
According to WIRED, Bentley has named its first fully electric car the Torcal, with a full reveal set for September 23. The SUV will be about five meters long and is expected to offer more than 300 miles of range.
The launch follows Bentley’s decision to delay its all-electric target from 2030 to 2035 under its Beyond100 Plus strategy, while continuing to sell plug-in hybrid and combustion models.
That hedge gives Bentley room to test demand without pushing loyal customers into a faster shift than the market may support.
At a private preview, WIRED said the Torcal appeared slightly smaller than the Bentayga while still recognizably Bentley, with a long hood, upright front and strong rear haunches.
The name comes from El Torcal de Antequera in Andalusia, Spain. The report also noted its link to the Latin torquere, connected to torque.
Inside, the publication said Bentley has kept important physical controls alongside OLED screens, rather than moving fully into screen-led minimalism.
A launch into weakness
The Torcal arrives as other luxury carmakers rethink electric ambitions. According to WIRED, Lamborghini has delayed the Lanzador, Ferrari has shown its first EV and delayed a second electric model until 2028, while Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Rolls-Royce have faced pressure in the segment.
Walliser told the outlet that buyers no longer want electric cars designed mainly as technology statements.
“Technology seekers that consider themselves opinion makers, they wanted to have cars that looked different, they wanted to show ‘I’m advanced, I’m in the latest tech.’ This is why the cars had to look different,” he said.
“Now people don’t want that. They just want to have a car, and this is why our timing maybe now is right. Using all of our DNA, being careful, delivering the car that feels authentic – don’t try to play anymore.”
For Bentley, the Torcal is not just a new model. It is a test of whether ultra-luxury buyers want electric power when it is wrapped in familiar brand cues rather than sold as a futuristic statement.
Initial reports suggest wealthy buyers in Asia may still be receptive to high-priced electric models, giving Bentley one possible path as demand cools elsewhere.
Sources: WIRED
