The electric Bentley Torcal has a soundtrack performed by real musicians playing drums, viola and guitarT3Alistair CharltonWed, September 23, 2026 at 7:15 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleWhen you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.Credit: BentleyQUICK SUMMARYBentley's first EV, called the Torcal, is an SUV with 375 miles of range, 400kW charging... and a soundtrack created by real musicians playing drums, viola and guitar.Prices are unknown for now, but the first customer deliveries are expected to begin in the spring of 2027.Bentley has revealed its first all-electric car, called the Torcal, with almost 900 horsepower and 375 miles of range.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Torcal is just what you'd expect from the first all-electric Bentley. It's a big SUV that slots into the company's range between the Flying Spur and Bentayga, while ushering in a new design language and going about electrification in a distinctly Bentley way.Take the soundtrack, for example. Instead of trying to recreate the rumble of a V8 engine, or shock its customers with something akin to a lightsaber, Bentley employed real musicians. Using instruments including drums, a viola and a bass guitar, they created what's called the Bentley Dynamic Symphony – a soundtrack complete with "subtle variations and tiny imperfections," Bentley says.Credit: BentleyThe car maker added: "From resting pulse to full-throttle acceleration, the Torcal's human-generated soundtrack provides aural feedback to the driver, underscoring the sense of connection and feedback, rather than simply imitating an engine note."Bentley says how the "potent, powerful, low frequency sound" is calibrated in response to driver torque demand and vehicle speed, improving sensory feedback. The volume of the soundtrack is increased in Sport mode, or can be turned off if the driver prefers silence.AdvertisementAdvertisementAnother clever approach to sound is how the Torcak's indicator noise comes from a recording of a hammer striking a leather surface in Bentley's upholstery workshops. Notes produced when interacting with the touchscreen and digital assistant are taken from the sound of a crystal glass.All this neatly demonstrates how Bentley is trying to offer something new with the Torcal – something that's more than just an electric version of a preexisting car.Credit: BentleyBorrowing its underlying architecture from the Porsche Cayenne Electric, the Torcal is powered by a pair of electric motors producing 821 PS and 1,194 Nm of torque; it has a 0-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds, a top speed of 155 mph and a range of up to 375 miles. Above this sits the Torcal S, which swaps the regular car's chrome exterior details for black, and ups power and torque to 888 PS and 1,350 Nm, respectively. This lowers the 0-60 mph time to 2.8 seconds and boosts the top speed to 162 mph.Interestingly, Bentley says this level of performance was a conscious choice by the Torcal's research and development team, made "with knowledge that most customers find acceleration more extreme than this to be an uncomfortable experience."AdvertisementAdvertisementEqually impressive is how quickly the Torcal charges. It uses an 800-volt system and can fill its 113 kWh battery at up to 400 kW – resulting in a 10% to 80% top-up taking as little as 16 minutes, or around 100 miles of range added in seven minutes.Credit: BentleyThere's also a fully-active suspension – a first for any Bentley – to deliver a claimed "true magic carpet ride," and reduce body roll without the need for anti-roll bars. There's also all-wheel steering for improved low-speed manoeuvrability and high-speed stability. As a real-world example of how that helps, the Torcal's 11.1-metre turning circle is 1.3 metres tighter than that of the Bentayga."The Torcal is ultimately as comfortable as a Flying Spur, and as dynamic as a Continental GT Speed," Bentley says.Other stand-out features include a face recognition system that sets the car to your preferences – including adjusting the automated driver assistance system (ADAS) – when you step into the driving seat.Credit: BentleyThere's also an assistance system for towing, garage and parallel parking, remote parking via a smartphone app, and a function where precise parking manoeuvres can be trained into the car. There's even a system that constantly scans the car's surroundings as you drive along – then, if you need to give way to an oncoming vehicle, the Torcal will automatically reverse to a point it has already identified as being suitable to allow the obstacle to pass. Backing up to let a tractor pass along a narrow lane will never be stressful again, at least in theory.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Torcal's passenger doors have powered opening, and even close themselves when a passenger puts on their seatbelt (or via the touchscreen), while the driver's door closes when they press the brake pedal.There are two sound systems available. The standard stereo has 16 speakers and 620 watts of power, while the optional Naim system has 1,870 watts and 28 speakers, including front headrest speakers, kinaesthetic seat shakers and support for Dolby Atmos 7.1 surround sound.Credit: BentleyLastly, the Torcal debuts Bentley's new curved OLED touchscreen, which cascades down from the dashboard to the centre console like that of the Porsche Cayenne Electric. Ahead of that, you'll find a set of physical controllers for cabin temperature and fan speed, media volume, start/stop and other key functions.The first deliveries of Bentley Torcal are due to begin in the spring of 2027. Prices haven't yet been announced, but are expected to start at around £180,000.
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