Forward-looking: For its 100th anniversary, Bentley treated itself and EV enthusiasts (maybe petrol-heads too?) with the EXP 100 GT concept. The exercise is meant to show how the British luxury brand envisions its cars and technology for the year 2035 and it seems that scissor doors and huge front grills are here to stay, with the former design change a rarity for the company and the latter being a Bentley characteristic. The electric grand tourer is powered by four motors that can take it up to 435 miles on a full charge with a battery pack that can be juiced back up to 80 percent in 15 minutes.
How will ultra-luxury GT cars of the future look like? If you ask Bentley, the answer is its EXP 100 GT concept unveiled on the company's 100th anniversary. To no one's surprise, it still moves about on the usual set of four wheels but they're made from alloy and employ active aerodynamics for maximizing efficiency. There are also adaptive contact patches in its tires that adjust to the weather and driver needs to make for an exciting ride and, with this being a concept, ever more exciting car gossip.
At 4200 pounds (~ 2 tons), the concept carries on Bentley's intrinsic trait of heavyweight cars with an exterior inspired by the R Type Continental from the 1950s. As there is no conventional ICE under the hood, the technical details on the EV concept are pretty much limited, but the company is looking towards solid-state batteries which are denser than existing cells found in EVs today. Bentley says it's capable of reaching 0-60mph in under 2.5 seconds all the way to a top speed of 186mph.
The details around the opulent interior aren't limited at all. The customisable layout allows seating for two, three and four passengers who'll be surrounded by copper-infused wood trimmings from naturally fallen trees preserved in peat bogs for thousands of years. Design director Stefan Sielaff thinks that gesture control will take over many complex tasks within the coming years, thus the lack of conventional controls in the cabin.
A hand-cut crystal is illuminated by the Bentley Personal Assistant that combined with the car's AI, sets the interior's mood lighting and ambiance. Biometric sensors spread throughout the cabin can detect a person's seating position and add extra back support if needed. These sensors "preempt passenger requirements" by monitoring eye movements, body temperature and blood pressure to keep the car as comfortable as possible, though it would be interesting to see how the tech fares on something like a track day.
"The AI 'Capture' mode ignites the senses by bringing the outdoor environment in, whether that's sea breeze or forest aroma, meanwhile cocooning you from dense traffic pollution and filtering out unwanted smells. As if soaring with the roof down, the air purifier fills the cabin with clean air when passing through the countryside whilst unwanted air is recycled to aid aerodynamics. Scents can be channelled in from outside, simulating an open top experience," the company describes the car's Air Curation feature.
When in autonomous mode, the car can play media on its OLED screens that can also be completely turned off if occupants decide to isolate themselves from the outer world. For curious minds, there's also a sleek website that goes into detail on how the luxury GT car brand aims to progress into the future.