Bentley has unveiled the EXP 15, a tall-riding fastback three-door design concept that is intended to hint at cues that will be worn by the British marque’s first fully-electric production model that is set for unveiling next year.
Said to draw inspiration from its 1930 three-seater Speed Six, nicknamed “Blue Train”, the EXP 15 embodies five exterior design principles for Bentley that will influence its future production vehicles, said the carmaker.
The first is “upright elegance” which states that the front end of each Bentley should have a gently curved vertical line, while the second principle is to employ an iconic grille design that is key to the marque’s visual history, particularly with a central, vertical line.
“Grilles used to be all about getting air into the combustion engine through the front of the car. But now with light technology changing we have the opportunity to create a piece of digital art. So, the grille stays as our iconic front,” said Bentley director of design Robin Page.
The third design principle is the “endless bonnet line”, again reflecting heritage where large amounts of space were required for to house the internal combustion engine. This bonnet line continues under the side windows, through to the rear pillar in the manner of the 1930 Bentley Gurney Notting coupé, said Bentley.
Its fourth design principle is that of a “resting beast”, which aims to bring outwardly bulging rear haunches to express muscle and potent energy, akin to the rounded shape of the bent upper legs of a big cat”, said head of exterior design Domen Rucigaj.
The fifth and final design principle is dubbed the “prestigious shield”, which is expressed on the EXP 15 as the large, clean surface on the rear end where heritage Bentley models such as the Gurney Nutting coupé housed luggage sections separate to the body. This is part of the tailgate on the EXP 15, where the new winged Bentley emblem is framed by diamond-patterned tail lamps.
Inside, the EXP 15 follows the “Blue Train” Speed Six with three seats, with the latest concept using an asymmetric layout where the passenger seat slides fore and aft electrically, vacating additional space in the cabin. The main passenger seat also swivels up to 45 degrees for ease of entry and exit.
The passenger seat is accompanied by what Bentley called the Concertina Floor Storage system that enables the footwell footrest to fold into the floor and make room for luggage or a pet carrier to be secured in place, and this setup is accessible without needing to stop and open the boot, says Bentley.
A new Bentley design principle aims to combine physical and digital features, as while the full-width digital dashboard of the EXP 15 serves to provide a range of infotainment functions, this can also be switched off to display a veneered wood surface beneath the display glass.
Also behind the screen is a clock-like device with multiple movable, illuminated fingers, for a variety of functions such as indicating the vehicle’s direction of travel, state of charge, and more. “We think people are going to get fed up with a fully digital experience and are pining for physical mechanical elements too. By combining the two, you can get the best of both worlds,” Page said.
As for eventual production, the EXP 15 could become showroom-ready as it has been designed around “a viable package and platform, and these are mechanisms that exist. What we want to do is gauge whether this is an interesting concept,” Page told Autocar.
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