A true standout in beauty and luxury at the most recent Geneva Auto Show was the Bentley ‘EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept’ prototype. It’s not simply an exercise in style, but rather an anticipation of vehicles to come, as seen through the eyes of the company from Crewe. Ready in three years, it will be priced at 180 thousand Euro.
The new Bentley will effectively be a perfect blend of technology and tradition brought together in an effort to achieve the pinnacle of luxury designed for an automobile. A significant change in style is apparent at first glance, moving beyond the classic British Racing Green color of Bentley race cars. The myriad of distinctive details, from the generous front grills, linked seamlessly with the air intakes made using innovative 3D printing technology, to the copper colored finishes forming a whole that offers new expressive forms of style.
This harmony also pervades the luxurious cabin, which maintains the idea of fusing tradition and innovation with an ample 12″ vertical display that dominates the center console in the cabin. This powerful technology blends naturally into the dash, which is wholly integrated into the heart of the vehicle through exquisite touches of leather and fine wood crafted with masterful skill. There are also strong crossovers of different metals that highlight its high-tech emphasis.
The gear shift and steering wheel are classic in form, keeping with tradition, and in similar fashion the analog tachometer remains, while all other functions reside in the digital display. The two comfortable, enveloping seats cradle both driver and passenger in a harmonious embrace of finely crafted leather. Two generous black leather bags rest elegantly behind the seats. Wolfgang Dürheimer explains, “This new vehicle will have the potential to be pinnacle of luxury for two-seater sports cars.” The vehicle, presented as something of a surprise at the event in Geneva, is another piece of the future landscape of Bentley models, which in addition to the highly anticipated Bentayga luxury SUV slated for 2016, could expand to the launch of a new model smaller than the current Continental GT. In this sense, the new Bentley ‘EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept’ can focus on this path. An indication of the goals of the Bentley prototype displayed at the Geneva Auto Show came from Wolfgang Dürheimer: “The EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept” represents a vision for the future of the brand: it has all the potential to embody a new apex in the sector of the very finest two-seater sports cars.”
