News : Geneva 2017 – Bentley EXP 12 Speed 6e, a brave new world

Bentley rolled out the electrically-powered EXP 12 Speed 6e Concept at Geneva. It’s serious about this one, too – as it’s potentially lighter than the current model range and could well cost less, if a production version makes it into the showrooms.

The main news with this car – aside from its Bentley-lite styling – is that it uses inductive charging, rather than the more conventional plug sockets and cables. Although no figures have been released (and why should they be, as they’d be fiction), there are some vague words in the press kit hinting at a potential range of 300 miles.

Looks good, doesn’t it?

Well, yes it is more nicely resolved than the 2015 EXP 10 concept that it’s evolved from. It has what is fast becoming Bentley’s signature headlamp treatment, while the interior is bristling with interesting technology and a raft of trim ideas that we’d love to see in production.

The single piece of glass that runs the length of the centre console and houses an OLED screen and the gorgeous, aeronautically-themed steering ‘wheel’ are a stroke of genius we should see on more cars. Will we ever be able to buy one? Expect a watered-down version to hit your showrooms sometime in 2019 – if it goes ahead.

All photography, Andrew Elphick

Keith Adams

3 Comments

  1. I suspect is has huge Bentley type presence in the flesh – and thus impresses in the flesh but the pictures make it out to be a typical and quite boring super car shape!

  2. The colour did kind of kill things – the burgundy interior looked like it was vinyl! The nose treatment in the flesh is very effective, in a black cherry or claret non-metallic colour it would look so much longer.

  3. Given the ‘blower’ inspired grille a bit of a shame it wasn’t black or BRG. But I suppose a lot of them will end up chromed wrapped if it makes it into production.

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