Bentley’s Bentayga follow-up will either be a sports car or another, smaller SUV

By Alexander Kalogianni June 30, 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

While we eagerly await the Bentayga, Bentley’s intriguing venture into the luxury SUV market, there’s already speculation about what’s next for the British automaker.

Speaking to Autocar, Bentley head Wolfgang Durheimer confirmed that the next step would either move the company deeper into SUV territory, or it would get to work on a sports car.

“We can’t do both those cars at the same time, because Bentley is still a small company and our resources are very stretched. We are doing the studies for both those models and then we will decide on the fifth model,” Durheimer said.

Bentley Bentayga — The Bentley Bentayga’s teaser image Image used with permission by copyright holder

Any future sports car would most likely be based on the EXP10 Speed 6 concept that Bentley revealed at this year’s Geneva motor show. The sporty two-seater received heaps of praise from onlookers who admired both the look and the departure from Bentley’s luxurious, yet conservative offerings.

“We have asked our customers and they have said about the Speed 6, ‘just build it!,'” added Durheimer.

As for a smaller SUV, we’re still waiting on how well the full-sized one is received, as well as its final design. Bentley has high hopes that the Bentayga will substantially increase sales due to how lucrative the luxury SUV market has been for competitors, as well as sister brands also under the VW Group umbrella. Like the current Audi Q7, the Bentayga is expected to be built on the MLB platform, a long, modular base used for vehicle construction across the global auto brands.

Based on that, we can surmise that a smaller Bentley SUV/CUV could derive from the A5 platform used by the Volkswagen Passat ant Tiguan, or even the smaller MQB modular platform. Considering how utility vehicle sales drastically eclipse that of sports cars, we can hope for the Speed 6, but the smart money would be betting on the Bentley crossover. Until then we’ll see what the Bentayga brings to the table when it goes into production late this year.

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

Weighing the risks: The most dangerous cars, trucks, and SUVs in the U.S.

2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4

Bigger may not be better, faster, or greener, but for passenger cars, larger cars are safer than smaller, according to automotive research firm iSeeCars. In its analysis of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) annual report, the fatal accident rate for passenger cars decreases as their size increases.

Pulling data from the 2017 FARS data tables, the most recent report, the fatal accident rates per billion vehicle miles were 2.6 for large passenger cars, 3.3 for midsize cars, 3.8 for compact cars, and 4.5 for subcompacts. The overall average rate for passenger cars was 3.3 fatalities per billion miles, significantly higher than the overall 2.3 fatalities for light-duty pickup trucks and 1.7 fatalities for SUVs. The report used data from vehicles from model years 2013 to 2017.

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.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs R1S: How will Rivian’s cheaper SUV compare?

The front three-quarter view of a 2022 Rivian against a rocky backdrop.

Rivian has finally unveiled the R2, its long-awaited attempt at a more affordable electric SUV. The new vehicle may not be available just yet, but fans of Rivian's design aesthetics and feature set are already looking forward to being able to order the new car. The R2 is targeted at being a more affordable take on the electric SUV and will sit alongside the flagship-tier R1S.

Let's get this out of the way right now: The R1S is most likely going to be a better vehicle than the R2. Rivian isn't replacing the R1S with the R2 — it's releasing the R2 as a more affordable alternative, and there will be some compromises when buying the R2 over the R1S.