Technology

Homepage
Technology

EXP 15

Car brand Bentley has envisioned its upcoming electric vehicles with the EXP 15 concept car, featuring the redesigned Winged B emblem that was released last week. Informed by the 1930 three-seater Bentley Speed Six (pictured top), the concept car was produced to "provide clues to the brand's first full-electric production car", which is set to be launched next year. The concept car has a full exterior, while the interiors were created virtually. Bentley will use the car, which it described as a "design vision for the future", to investigate what customers want from a sedan. "The beauty of a concept car is not just to position our new design language, but to test where the market's going," said Bentley director of design Robin Page. "It's clear that SUVs are a growing segment and we understand the GT market – through four generations of the Continental GT – but the trickiest segment is the sedan because it's changing," he continued. "Some customers want a classic 'three-box' sedan shape, others a 'one-box' design and others again something more elevated. So this was a chance for us to talk to people and get a feeling." The 5.4-metre-long car, which has only three seats and three doors, was designed to embody five design principles that will shape the brand's future cars. According to Bentley, each of these principles aims to create cars that mix "classic and modern in an exhilarating and elegant" way. The car has two seats on the driver side, while the passenger seat can slide up from the rear to sit alongside the driver. This passenger seat can rotate 45 degrees to allow for a more dignified exit from the vehicle. "The seat can rotate and you step out, totally unflustered, not trying to clamber out of the car like you see with some supercars," explained Bentley head of interior design Darren Day.