Details are scarce, but Bentley previously revealed the vehicle will be the world’s most expensive and luxurious SUV. It will be available with four, five or seven seats, though the firm doesn’t expect many buyers will opt for the seven-seater configuration.
The SUV was previewed by the EXP 9 F concept that bowed at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The show car’s design was poorly received so the production version will boast a new, more fluid front end that appears to be noticeably inspired by the Mulsanne and Continental models.
Riding on a platform also used by the next-gen Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7, the SUV will be powered by a 575-horsepower 12-cylinder engine that will send power to all four wheels via an automatic transmission. Unlike many premium crossovers and SUVs, Bentley’s offering will pack serious off-road prowess and the company expects it will be as capable over difficult terrain as the iconic Land Rover Range Rover.
“This really is an SUV. In the Middle East it has to go up and down sand dunes, and in Europe it has to be able to tow stuff in the wet field,” affirmed Rose late last year in an interview with trade journal Automotive News.
Precise pricing information is not available but Bentley has hinted in the past its first-ever SUV will retail for about €180,000, a lofty sum that converts to roughly $250,000, before options and taxes are factored in. In spite of its astronomical price tag, the Volkswagen-owned automaker believes it can sell anywhere between 3,000 and 4,000 examples a year with a third of production going to the United States and the rest unevenly split between Russia, China and Europe.
Expect Bentley’s upcoming SUV to debut next year at a major auto show.
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