2028 Bentley Torcal: British Luxury Going ElectricBentleyCheck, check one two, one two. The iconic British brand, Bentley Motors, is going all-electric for the first time ever with the launch of a brand new SUV it has dubbed Torcal, but you don't get to see the full Monty just yet. Consider this the sound check, until the full album drops in late September.Until then, Bentley is merely teasing the arrival of the 2028 Torcal with the official image above and a precious few facts: it has an overall length of 196.9 inches (5 meters) and a range of "more than 300 miles."Tohr-cal? Say what?Per the press release that accompanied the image and name announcement, Torcal takes its name from a natural landmark, like the Bentayga (a famous mountain peak in Gran Canaria, Spain), Bacalar (a magical town in southern Mexico) and Batur (an active volcano in Indonesia). "El Torcal de Antequera in Andalusia, Spain, is a dramatic limestone landscape of stacked rock formations, cliffs and labyrinths, shaped by nature over millions of years yet continuing to evolve," says the press release, which explains the root of Torcal is from the Latin "torquere," meaning to twist, à la torque. It's clearly a nod to the Bentley Torcal being an electric vehicle, which will no doubt have oodles of torquere on demand.AdvertisementAdvertisementHow do you pronounce Torcal? According to our native Spanish speaker and Spanish passport holder Miguel Cortina, with slight emphasis on the first syllable: tohr-cal.All-Time Most Considered BentleyFrank-Steffen Walliser, chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors, had this to say about the Torcal: "For 107 years Bentleys have been the most incredibly complete cars—effortless performance, outstanding comfort, exquisite British handcraftsmanship using the best natural materials and a soundtrack with soul. Our new car sets extraordinary benchmarks in every area that matters, and may just be the most considered car in our history."After seeing the Torcal in the metal at Bentley's headquarters in Crewe, we'd agree that "most considered" are the right terms for the brand's first electric vehicle. We'll save the deep dive into the theory and details for when we're allowed to publish accompanying photos, but we can tell you that in design and execution, the Torcal walks a fine line between upholding the Bentley brand and honoring some of its most iconic models, while taking some very bold steps into the future.Bold, Controversial DesignPerhaps the boldest move is Bentley's decision to go electric with a two-row, five-passenger SUV, versus the luxury saloons and coupes upon which it built its reputation. As Walliser has confirmed previously, the Torcal will not replace the 5-inch longer Bentayga as the brand's flagship SUV. And its significance goes beyond being Bentley's first EV; from nose to tail, inside and out, the Torcal showcases the future of all Bentley products, regardless of powertrain.The Bentley Bentayga is about 5-inches longer than the Torcal. Both seat 5-passengers.MotorTrend - MotorTrendAt first glance, it seems not much can be gleaned from the teaser image provided by Bentley's design department, but there are several hints. First is the logo; Bentley updated its logo to the fifth iteration in its 107-year history, and debuted it on the EXP 15 concept. Good bet the Torcal will wear the smoother Bentley shield on its nose and tail. Also, check out the horizontal strip taillights.AdvertisementAdvertisementWith the Bacalar and Batur, Bentley had already moved away from the stacked and ovoid setup of the Mulsanne and Bentayga. Expect to see more of these linear lighting elements that run both horizontally and vertically on the Torcal. We can also confirm there will be no shortage of classic lines and cues pulled from Bentleys of yore, applied to the Torcal's traditional two-box SUV shape.This is not the 2028 Bentley Torcal, this is the EXP 15 concept, whose headlights and diamond-embossed grille offer hints at the face of Bentley's new electric SUV.MotorTrend - MotorTrendMost controversial is what you can't see in the teaser image, which is the face of the Torcal. Quad headlights have been gone from the brand for a while; only the Bentayga still retains a version of the classic four eyes. Newer models like the Continental GT and Flying Spur have two oval headlamps bisected by a horizontal slashing daytime running light (DRL). This design debuted with the Bentley EXP 100 GT in 2019, and has run its course.This also is not the Torcal; this is the Bentley EXP 100 concept that debuted in 2019, with single round headlamps offset with a horizontal slash. Don't expect to see them on Torcal.MotorTrend - MotorTrendIt's hard to explain without an image, but hints of what's to come for the new face of Bentley were previewed on the brand's recent EXP 15 concept, with its vertical DRLs and tucked away projector beam headlights.The EXP 15's upright, diamond-patterned grille is also a preview, but on the Torcal things will be brighter with much more bling. If it sounds like a lot, you're right. We're betting the front end will be the most controversial talking point of the Torcal, but you'll have to wait for the official pictures.Cabin ComfortsInside there's a wealth of new details and materials, too numerous and deep to explain here without accompanying images. Walliser mentions "best natural materials" which is a nod to the liberal use of wool and wood in the Torcal. No surprises there; Bentley has long offered beautiful wood veneers in every one of its models, and provides optional tweeds and deep pile wool floor mats, as well as almost anything you can dream of via its Mulliner custom division.AdvertisementAdvertisementTo decode Walliser's "soundtrack with soul" statement, think about what EVs lack and what many manufacturers are adding back in. That's right, there will be sounds to accompany the Torcal. Like many of the design details we experienced, these were thoughtfully conceived and cleverly executed. That said, we know not everything will be to everyone's liking, that's how bold new vehicle design works, right?And the Torcal is indeed bold. Not Ferrari Luce bold, but enough to get traditional and newer enthusiasts fired up. Bentley plans to reveal the 2028 Torcal in late September 2026, so watch, or simply bookmark, this space.