The British town of Crewe presented a host of new unveils to the world when Bentley unveiled the all-new EXP 15 design vision concept. The new Bentley EXP 15 design vision concept was revealed from within the brand’s new design studio, which officially opened its doors for the first time this week. The new Bentley EXP 15 design vision concept is essentially Bentley’s design vision for its forthcoming models, which also includes the brand new Winged B emblem for the first time on a Bentley. The new Bentley EXP 15 design vision concept is not intended for production or sale but hints towards the design of Bentley’s first-ever all-electric car, slated for launch soon.
Robin Page, Bentley Director of Design, said: “The beauty of a concept car is not just to position our new design language, but to test where the market’s going. 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. 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.”
Bentley boasts a car manufacturing heritage spanning just over a century, a feat not many carmakers enjoy. This rich heritage has been borrowed as design inspiration, specifically the 1930 Bentley Speed Six Gurney Nutting Sportsman coupe, for the EXP15 and reinterpreted as a thoroughly modern 21st-century concept.
With the EXP 15, which spans over five metres in length, Bentley reimagines numerous aspects of a traditional car. For instance, the grille, which primarily fulfilled the need to send air to the combustion engine, now serves as a piece of digital art. Courtesy of the ever-changing light technology, Bentley has reimagined the idea of its ‘Iconic Grille’, which, despite the forthcoming changes to the brand’s future powertrain options, will continue to remain prominent to the “brand’s historic visual architecture”.
Even the rear windshield section, previously utilised on the Gurney Nutting coupe as luggage compartment – separate from the body, has now been rethought to portray a ‘Prestigious Shield’ concept. On the new Bentley EXP 15, it merges with the tailgate, which opens up to reveal two small seats. These seats come accompanied with an atmospheric physical lamp and fridge stocked with cold drinks to create an upmarket picnic seating.
The entire cabin is said to have been designed using Virtual Reality, but it boasts a unique three-seat layout, great for grand touring, and an idea previously seen on a unique one-of-one Speed Six coupe. This entailed the Bentley EXP 15 to boast an unusual three-door exterior layout with one door for the driver’s seat and the seat behind it. However, the remaining two doors lay on the passenger side, opening upwards to allow smoother entry and exit.
The passenger seat can swivel 45 degrees outwards to allow the passenger to exit the car “with dignity”. However, the same seat can also be moved to different positions – alongside the driver or back towards the rear bench for extended legroom or even a reclined setup. This further enables the Concertina Floor Storage system – a shallow space for a pet or personal hand luggage to be strapped in, to shine without having to stop or open the boot.
Material choices have been meticulously thought through, and the Bentley EXP 15 features a mix of traditional, sustainable, and ultra-futuristic materials for its cabin. For example, a 100 per cent wool textile by Fox Brothers – the inventors of thorn-proof cloth and English weavers of some 250 years’ standing – is used in a damson ombre effect on EXP 15’s interior and can be found nestling in harmony with various lightweight 3D-printed titanium finishes.
On the in-cabin technological front, Bentley intends to offer a mix of physical and digital features. The ‘rotating dashboard’ featured on current Bentley models gets an update on the EXP 15, where the full-width dashboard can act as a digital interface for all infotainment purposes and switch off entirely to reveal a veneered wood surface visible underneath the glass. A clock-like device with multiple movable and illuminated fingers gets nestled behind this digital dashboard, tasked to showcase the car’s direction of travel, the remaining range, and much more.
Bentley reiterates that the new EXP 15 is not a preview of the smaller all-electric production Bentley vehicle expected in 2026. However, smaller and multiple design elements might feature on the forthcoming EV, with technical interior ideas having a possibility to become a reality in the longer term.
