Have you been upset and confused by the fact that Bentley is going to build a big, hulking SUV?
Yes. Yes I have been.
Well then, good news! The Anglo-German firm's next project after the big Bentayga is going to be a compact two-seat coupé based on this EXP 10 Speed 6 concept car, which was shown off tonight (2 March, 2015) at the Volkswagen Group pre-Geneva Motor Show spectacular.
While there aren't any major tech details about the car yet (it really is still just a concept, but would we be too far off the mark to suggest Bentley's twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 will slot straight in?) it is very much a declaration of intent, that Bentley won't forget its sporting origins when it starts making massive - and massively profitable - SUVs.
Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors, said: "EXP 10 Speed 6 is one vision for Bentley's future - a powerful, exquisite and individual concept. The showcar has the potential to be the new pinnacle luxury two-seat sports car. It offers thrilling, driver-oriented performance, complete with trademark modern Bentley luxury and effortlessness. It could be a future model line, alongside the Continental GT and redefining the pinnacle of another market sector, and the styling of the EXP 10 Speed 6 could influence the expansion of the Bentley family. 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."
It's Bentley's first ever strict two-seat model, with a low, swoopy shape draped over the MLB modular platform that Audi will use for the next generation of A6 and A8. Presumably, that means it will also have four-wheel drive, but don't discount the possibility of a rear-drive version.
The four round headlights (a Bentley tradition) are blended in rather more rakishly with the bodywork, while the low, wide chrome grille (reminiscent of the Hunaudieres concept car from the early 2000s) has a deep, 3D effect to its complex mesh.
Inside there's a massive 12-inch curved infotainment control screen while the main dials click and whirr into position when you press the massive 'Flying B' starter buttons. The cabin is also festooned with quilted leather, machined wood and copper detailing. Instead of back seats, there's a fitted luggage set, made by Bentley's own leather experts out of highest quality Poltrona Frau leather.
What's the future for this car? Will it be made in the UK or in an Audi factory (given the platform it rides on)? We just don't know and Bentley isn't saying yet - this is a proper finger-in-the-air-to-see-which-way-the-wind-is-blowing concept car. Will customers take to a smaller, lighter Bentley with less practicality but more sportiness, and a price tag of around £120,000? Let's find out...
Neil Briscoe - 2 Mar 2015