Bentley's dog-friendly concept previews new electric urban SUV

Independent

10 hours ago

Bentley is heading to an electric future, and this concept gives us our biggest clues yet what it will look like. The Bentley EXP 15 is a futuristic three-seat grand tourer concept that looks to the future while tipping its hat to the past.
This is not a car you'll see on the road any time soon – or ever, in fact. Like all EXP models (EXP standing for Experimental Prototype) this one is a statement of intent, not a showroom model. But it's a bold and brilliant one, offering a taste of where Bentley is headed as it embarks on its journey into electrification with its all-electric urban SUV due to be unveiled next year.
Inspired by the legendary 1930 Bentley Speed Six Gurney Nutting Coupe – better known as the 'Blue Train' – the EXP 15's proportions are unmistakably grand. There's a long 'endless' bonnet, a rearward-set cabin and a proud upright grille. It's every inch the grand tourer of Bentley lore, albeit wrapped in some very 21st-century tech and style.
Just like the original Blue Train car that famously raced across France faster than the train it was named after, the EXP 15 has performance in its DNA – even if we don't yet know the numbers. It's imagined as a fully electric, all-wheel-drive machine, capable of covering big miles in silence and style, with a long range and fast charging.
What you can see, though, is dramatic. The front grille remains large and iconic – despite not needing to feed air to a combustion engine – and now acts as a digital canvas lit up with intricate LED detailing. Slim lights frame it like jewellery, while a new 'prestigious shield' tailgate design and muscular rear haunches make for a powerful stance. Active aerodynamics, including deployable spoilers and a rear diffuser, show Bentley is serious about EV efficiency.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of EXP 15 is the inside. Bentley's interior designers have let their imaginations off the leash and the result is a remarkable fusion of old-school craftsmanship and the very latest tech.
The three-seat layout places the driver and a rear seat behind one another on one side, while the passenger gets a throne-like perch with a canopy that can wrap around them for privacy. Naturally, that seat swivels outwards to aid graceful exits.
Then there's the tech. A huge dashboard spans the cabin, capable of switching from digital interface to beautiful wood veneer at the touch of a button. Nestled within is the so-called 'mechanical marvel' – a delightful centrepiece of moving illuminated fingers that's part art installation, part instrument cluster. It's Bentley's way of blending the physical and digital, and it works a treat.
Even the boot gets in on the act – lift the rear hatch and you'll find not just storage but picnic seating, an ambient lamp and a fridge for chilled drinks. It's glamping, Bentley-style.
Material choices are equally imaginative. A 100% wool textile by Fox Brothers – the firm behind thorn-proof cloth for centuries – features in a damson ombre finish, paired with 3D-printed titanium trim. A fine silk jacquard from Gainsborough Textiles – another British heritage brand – lines parts of the interior, while a new aluminium-based paint finish called pallas gold adds a liquid metal sheen to the bodywork. Cleverly, it's thin enough to let radar signals pass through it, making it future proof for autonomy, too.
Bentley design boss Robin Page said 'the beauty of a concept car is not just to position our new design language, but to test where the market's going. It's clear that SUVs are a growing segment and we understand the GT market – through four generations of the Continental GT – but the trickiest segment is the sedan because it's changing. Some customers want a classic 'three-box' sedan shape, others a 'one-box' design, and others again something more elevated. So this was a chance for us to talk to people and get a feeling.'
The exterior follows five design principles that will inform Bentley's future production cars: Upright Elegance, Iconic Grille, Endless Bonnet Line, Resting Beast stance, and Prestigious Shield. There's even a nod to thoroughbred horses in the car's silhouette – gently upright and poised like a champion ready to gallop.
Inside, the guiding themes are just as poetic: Wing Gesture design for the dashboard; Bold Gravitas for generous surfaces and real materials; Cocooning Haven for comfort and privacy; Iconic Details like knurled switches and diamond patterns; and Magical Fusion – the blend of digital and mechanical that makes this interior so special.
As ever with Bentley, it's not just about looking good – it's about feeling good. EXP 15 is designed to be thoughtful, intuitive and luxurious in equal measure. Whether it's adjusting to your mood, accommodating your pet or serving up a fridge-chilled drink from the boot, this concept has all bases covered.
So no, you won't be able to buy the EXP 15 – but you will see bits of it again, especially in next year's Luxury Urban SUV, which will be the first reimagined production Bentley for the electric age.