Prepare to see the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept become a production car in three years

By Alexander Kalogianni March 12, 2015

bentleys next vehicle to be either a sports car or mini suv bentley exp 10 speed 6 press image — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Bentley may be known for its focus on supreme luxury, but that doesn’t mean that it slouches on the performance end of things. It’s demonstrated this most prominently with its Continental GT Speed road car as well as its GT3 race car iteration. More subtly, Bentley has packed a surprising amount of power and agility in its Flying Spur and Mulsanne sedan. With this is mind, it seems that the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept that debuted at the Geneva Auto Show was more than just a design exercise, it was a glimpse of things to come.

According to a report in Autocar, the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 is an experimental showcase to gauge what customers would want from a more sport-focused two seater produced by Bentley, which they intend to have ready in a relatively short three years.

Bentley-EXP-10-Speed-6-outside-press-image — Image used with permission by copyright holder

“This is not just a new sports car concept but the potential Bentley sports car — a bold vision for a brand with a bold future,” said company chairman Wolfgang Dürheimer.

The sports car would be positioned int he same range as the Continental GT, which suggests that it would be priced in the ballpark of $200,000.

Under the hood, the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept was equipped with a hybrid powertrain, but the production version would most likely rock the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine thats housed in the Continental GT and Flying Spur.

Bentley-EXP-10-Speed-6-drivers-press-image — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Performance and top speed is what Bentley has stated its focus to be, specifically mentioning that it wishes to “challenge competitors and define a new segment benchmark.,” possibly muscling in on territory held by Jaguar or rivaling the upcoming McLaren Sports Series cars.

We’re glad to see that the much prepared-for and talked about Bentayga SUV isn’t the only thing being cooked up in Crewe, though this was the focus of much of the speculation and subsequent spotlight. It’s interesting to see Bentley refresh its lineup with something that isn’t a GT or luxury sedan, and we can’t wait to see how either of the new cars stack up.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Alexander Kalogianni

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Alex K is an automotive writer based in New York. When not at his keyboard or behind the wheel of a car, Alex spends a lot of…

Cars

Best electric car charger deals: $100 off home charging stations

The handle of the Grizzl-E EV charger plugged into a vehicle.

A few years ago, electric vehicles were pretty rare or cost a fortune, but with more and more of the larger car brands getting into the game, there are a lot of excellent and even budget-friendly choices nowadays. That said, the electrical network for charging your cars might not be that widespread, so instead you'll have to rely on charging your car at home. Luckily, there are a lot of excellent car chargers at a discount, so if you've just bought an EV or want to upgrade your current charging solution, be sure to check out our favorite deals below.
Shockflo EV charger — $205, was $220

This EV charger by Shockflo is a Level 2 EV charger, which offers six times faster charging than a standard charger. It delivers 24 miles with just one hour of charging, and it can act as a mobile charger you can throw in the trunk or be mounted to a wall. It has an LCD display with useful information like charging rate, voltage, and charging time, as well as LED indicator lights that lets you know charging progress and errors.

Cars

Mercedes-Benz EQG: range, price, release date, and more

Concept image of the larger electric G-Wagon

The G-Class is going electric. We already knew that Mercedes-Benz was working on an electric, small-size G-Wagon, but it looks like the company is also working on a larger G-Class SUV, in the form of the EQG. In fact, Mercedes has gone as far as to show off a concept version of the off-roader.

While there's much we don't know about what will become the production model of the EQG, Mercedes has also shared a lot about it. Curious about whether the Mercedes-Benz EQG could be the EV for you? Here's everything we know so far.
Design
Fear not -- the EQG will retain many of the design aspects of the G-Class that you already know and love but with a modern face-lift. The EQG will keep the boxy design that gives the G-Class a classic look but with some additional modern styling, at least if the concept version is anything to go by.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs. Kia EV9: battle of affordable electric SUVs

Kia EV9 GT-Line Three Quarters

The long-awaited Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it's an excellent option for those who want an electric SUV that doesn't completely break the bank. Sure, the R2 isn't cheap -- but it's a whole lot cheaper than most other EVs out there, especially when it comes to SUVs. But Rivian isn't the only company trying to tackle the problem of the budget electric SUV. The Kia EV9 is finally available, and it too offers a modern design and a range of helpful features.

Given the fact that the Rivian R2 and Kia EV9 are two electric SUVs in a similar price range, you might be wondering which is better for your needs. That's why we put the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 head-to-head.
Design
Both the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 are actual SUVs -- not crossovers pretending to be SUVs, like plenty of other EVs out there. The two vehicles offer big, boxy designs and plenty of interior space, making them excellent options for families or those who need that extra storage.