Bentley Motors has revealed their latest concept, the Bentley EXP 15, at their brand new design studio.
Story: Salman Bargir
Bentley Motors have taken the wraps off their latest luxury concept, the Bentley EXP 15, a representation of the British marque’s vision for their future electric models. The EXP 15 takes inspiration from the Bentley Speed Six Gurney Nutting Sportsman Coupe, a 1930s three-seater model nicknamed “Blue Train.”
The more-than-five-metrelong Bentley EXP 15 has an upright grille, long bonnet and a rearward cabin. It embodies Bentley’s five exterior design principles–Upright Elegance, Iconic Grille, Endless Bonnet Line, Resting Beast and Prestigious Shield–all of which will influence their future production cars. The designers also emphasised the three key straits that future Bentleys will be identified with: Monolithic Presence, Muscular Form and Carved Precision.
The Bentley EXP 15 displays the brand’s next-generation exterior lighting and aero technology. Its front headlights, consisting of four slim LED strips, are placed near the wheel arches—two vertically on top and two kinked inward below—to outline the car’s edges. The headlights frame the large grille that is divided by a central glowing spine, which descends from the new and illuminated “Winged B” emblem. The grille features a modern LED version of Bentley’s signature diamond quilt pattern.
Behind the front wheel arch, there is a pair of large air vents that visually break up the large body mass and channel air flow better. Further aerodynamic elements include twin active spoilers that deploy at the end of the car’s rear-sloping roofline, and an active aero diffuser at the car’s rearmost lower lip. The slim protruding lights at the rear, detailed with a diamond quilt pattern, frame the large surface of the Bentley EXP 15.
The Bentley EXP 15 sports a liquid-metal satin paintwork finish called Pallas Gold on its grille and door handles, featuring golden white highlights inspired by various nickel elements on the historic Bentley Speed Six. Bentley says the unique characteristic of this future paint is its ultra-thin aluminium pigment, which allows safety radar devices to transmit through it without reducing signal quality. Furthermore, the coating’s high reflectivity allows it to be easily detected by LiDAR systems, and is therefore suitable in traffic where other autonomous driving systems are also deployed.
The cabin design of the Bentley EXP 15 has been created using virtual reality (VR) software, all adhering to Bentley’s five interior design principles: Wing Gesture, Bold Gravitas, Cocooning Haven, Iconic Details and Magical Fusion. It mixes familiar interior features like luxury seating, wing-shaped dashboard, steering wheel, dials and switches with futuristic digital elements that can be brought to the fore or placed into the background as required.
The EXP 15 has a three-seat layout. One door on the driver’s side opens to the driver’s seat plus a cocooning rear seat behind, while twin coach doors and part of the panoramic roof open upwards on the passenger side to allow smoother entry and exit via a more luxurious and flexible passenger-side seat that can swivel 45 degrees outwards. The large rear hatch, when opened, can deploy two small seats alongside an atmospheric physical lamp and fridge which can slide back from the rear seats.
As a design concept, the Bentley EXP 15 provides subtle design cues relating to the smaller all-electric production Bentley vehicle expected in 2026. This is evident in the EXP 15’s exterior form, as well as digital and technical ideas on the interior that could become reality in the longer term.
Also read: The All-new Bentley Bentayga Speed Has Been Unveiled And it is Not a Hybrid
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