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Bentley will leap into the EV segment with an ultra-quick 500-horsepower coupe

Ronan Glon
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2020 bentley electric coupe news specs performance exp 10 speed 6 outside press image
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Putting an end to a longstanding rumor, Bentley has confirmed that it will expand its lineup with two brand new models before the end of the decade.

The next addition to the British car maker’s lineup will be a second SUV that will be positioned right below the full-size Bentayga that was introduced recently. The yet-unnamed model will share many mechanical and chassis components with its more expensive sibling, but it will slot right between Porsche’s Macan and Cayenne in terms of size.

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Bentley boss Wolfgang Dürheimer told English magazine Autocar that the off-roader will usher in a more modern design language for Bentley. Power will primarily be provided by gasoline- and diesel-burning V8 engines, but the lineup could be expanded with a fuel-sipping hybrid model and an ultra-quick range-topping version powered by the Bentayga’s 6.0-liter W12 engine.

At the other end of the spectrum, Dürheimer revealed the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept (pictured) that was revealed earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show has been given the green light for production. The show car’s design won’t change much in its transition to a production model because it was received remarkably well by potential buyers and current Bentley owners.

The still nameless coupe will be powered by an evolution of the Audi-derived V8 that’s currently found in a long list of Bentley models including the Continental. Surprisingly, Bentley is allegedly planning to introduce an all-electric version of the model powered by a state-of-the-art 500-horsepower drivetrain made up of two motors, a pair of three-stepped automatic gearboxes, and a potent battery pack. The coupe will tip the scale at about 4,400 pounds thanks to upcoming advances in battery technology. It will boast a top speed of roughly 200 mph, and a total driving range of about 300 miles in ideal driving conditions.

The SUV is tentatively scheduled to land in showrooms in 2018 with a base price of roughly £120,000, a sum that converts to over $180,000 at the time of writing. The coupe isn’t as high on the company’s list of priorities because it’s a low-volume model, so it might not arrive until 2020. Bentley predicts that venturing into two new market segments will allow it to sell 25,000 cars annually by luring a young, more style-focused audience into showrooms.

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Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon
Contributor
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
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