After being driven the Bentley Torcal, what's clear so far
After being driven the camouflaged all-electric Bentley Torcal as a passenger at Pebble Beach, early impressions point to a sports S.U.V. that feels true to Bentley: muscular, composed, and sonically intentional. The marque's first EV is due for a full public reveal on September 23.
Key Takeaways
- Bentley's product line director piloted a camouflaged Torcal at Pebble Beach after Monterey Car Week.
- The Torcal is Bentley's first all-electric model and its most muscular production car yet.
- It targets the sports S.U.V. segment with a lower stance than the Bentayga.
- A full public reveal is scheduled for September 23, about a month after this ride.
- That progress contrasts with reports that Land Rover's all-electric Defender is delayed into the 2030s.
What happened after being driven the Torcal at Pebble Beach?
Days after Monterey Car Week, a camouflaged S.U.V. sat near the Inn at Spanish Bay in Northern California. Robb Report's Viju Mathew rode in the back while Martin Page, Bentley's product line director for the Torcal, drove.
The outing offered an early passenger view of the 107-year-old marque's first zero-emissions vehicle. Many specifics remain under wraps ahead of the global reveal.
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How does the Torcal drive and sound so far?
Even in disguise, the Torcal looks related to Bentley's Bentayga in form, but Page said proportions and intent differ. It sits lower and is aimed at the sports S.U.V. segment.
From the rear seat, acceleration felt immediate, as expected from an EV, while the vehicle weighs nearly 6,000 pounds. Page said body roll, heave, and pitch stayed controlled in dynamic moves, then isolation returned in steady driving.
He described the Torcal as "as comfortable as a Flying Spur and as dynamic as a GT," with throttle, braking, and steering feel benchmarked against the Continental GT. Bentley also says the model shares some components with Porsche's Electric Cayenne platform, calibrated for Bentley.
On sound, Page said the profile most clearly Bentley was a heritage V-8 from the Continental Turbo R, crafted to feel natural rather than purely digitized. Early materials note the propulsion sound tracks torque demand, not speed or accelerator position.
Why does Bentley's first EV matter right now?
Robb Report reports this is not only Bentley's first EV but its most muscular production model yet. The full public reveal is set for September 23.
Page framed the Torcal as "the next great Bentley," with power-train choice secondary to Bentley DNA. That lets Crewe offer electrification without going electric-only.
Elsewhere in British luxury SUVs, Robb Report reports Land Rover's all-electric Defender has been pushed into the 2030s, while a smaller "Baby Defender" is not expected to share that delay. Bentley's near-term EV milestone stands out against that slower timeline.