New Bentley Torcal is an 888PS electric SUV priced from £173,300

• Torcal costs from £173,300, S model from £199,300, on sale now

• Built on same platform as Porsche Cayenne Electric

• 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds, 162mph top speed and 375-mile range

• Rivals include newly unveiled Range Rover Electric

The new Bentley Torcal is on sale in the UK, priced from £173,300 and offering up to 375 miles of electric range. Bentley's first production EV is also its most powerful road car yet, with the range-topping Torcal S producing 888PS and accelerating from 0-62mph in just 2.9 seconds.

Slightly smaller than the petrol-powered Bentley Bentayga, the five-seat electric SUV is available in Torcal and Torcal S forms, with the latter priced from £199,300. Both use a 113kWh battery and twin-motor all-wheel-drive system, while first customer deliveries are due in summer 2027.

The Torcal is based on the Volkswagen Group's Premium Platform Electric (PPE), related to the Porsche Cayenne Electric. Its 800V electrical system allows charging at up to 400kW. Bentley says a 10-80% rapid charge takes just 16 minutes, while 100 miles of range can be added in seven minutes.

Bentley Torcal price and release date

The standard Torcal starts at £173,300, while prices for the Torcal S start at £199,300, meaning that the electric Torcal and petrol-powered Bentayga are priced similarly. You can already configure a Torcal on Bentley’s website, although the first customer cars won’t arrive until summer 2027.

As with the rest of Bentley’s range, Torcal buyers will be encouraged to personalise their cars through the firm’s Mulliner department, albeit at extra cost.

Bentley Torcal electric motor, battery and range

All Torcal models are all-wheel drive as standard, featuring a motor on each axle. The front axle has an open differential, while the rear has a locking diff and clutch to vector torque between each wheel. Power is 821PS in the standard car, which rises to 888PS in the Torcal S. Range is the same 375 miles or a nice, round 600km in metric figures in both models.

The battery is made up of 192 lithium-ion pouch cells with a net capacity of 113kWh. The battery is covered by a generous 100,000 mile, 10-year warranty.

In another first for Bentley, the Torcal features fully active suspension, which does without anti-roll bars, instead allowing each damper to raise or lower independently and instantly, reacting to the road conditions and driver inputs for a smooth ride. Bentley claims this makes the Torcal as comfy as a Flying Spur but as dynamic as a Continental GT.

All-wheel steering is standard, too, with the rear wheels steering at angles of up to five degrees to drop the turning circle to 11.1 metres. That's the same as a VW Golf R.

New Bentley Torcal design, interior and space

In addition to being the first car to feature Bentley’s redesigned logo, the Torcal features an updated design albeit one that doesn't stray far from the firm’s traditional strengths.  The Torcal features a long bonnet and short front and long rear overhangs, while details include a huge grille with illuminated diamond shapes and slender LED headlights.

Inside there is the traditional T-shaped dashboard and knurled controls. Where there are screens, they’re curved OLEDs to give deep blacks for high contrast and ease of reading.

The Torcal is a full five seater, with the driver and front passenger having the option of seats that massage from shoulder to leg and change position subtly over the course of a long drive to reduce fatigue.

Boot space is 460 litres, while there’s an additional 90-litre front storage area for charging cables. More overall than a Bentayga despite being shorter in length.

New Bentley Torcal technology, equipment and infotainment

Unlike the related Porsche Cayenne Electric, the Torcal doesn’t feature screens across the dashboard. Instead, these are kept to a more modest amount, with plenty of physical controls.

Tech includes facial recognition to set the car to each driver’s preferences plus an augmented reality head-up display. There’s also a Frosted Diamond switchable panoramic roof option and doors that open and close automatically. A 16-speaker stereo is standard, or there’s a Naim 28-speaker setup with speakers in the front-seat headrests and actuators that shake with the music built into the seats.

To help the car feel human-crafted, Bentley recorded drums, viola and bass guitar that are played inside and outside the car and react according to its speed. The indicator noise is actually a hammer striking a leather surface in Bentley's upholstery workshop, while the touchscreen sounds are taken from a recording of some tapping a crystal glass.

There are four driving modes that don't just change the car's steering, dampers or throttle response. The Torcal has Experience Modes instead, which change everything from air flow to light and sound, in addition to the car's responses.

Bentley mode creates "an environment that feels refined yet unmistakably driver focused. Meanwhile Comfort Mode creates a calmer environment with a minimum of distraction."

New Bentley Torcal trim levels

Two core trim levels are available from launch. The standard Torcal is the entry-level model and features an 821PS powertrain, capable of 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds and 155mph. This has satin silver trim, 21-inch wheels, a single-tone exterior and an Open Pore Crown Cut Walnut interior, although this can all be personalised.

The Torcal S gets launch control, which gives you 888 PS, drops the 0-62mph time to 2.9 seconds and up the top speed to 162mph. S models include black exterior trim and dark taillights, 22-inch alloys, a rear diffuser and red brake calipers, while the interior gets piano black trim and sports pedals.

For a limited time, there’s a Torcal First Edition, based on the S model, but featuring extra equipment as standard that’s usually on the options list.

New Bentley Torcal rivals and used alternatives

The list of extremely luxurious electric SUVs isn’t long, but it has grown in recent months with the launch of the Range Rover Electric. This starts at £154,000 and features a very similar range and charging speeds, although it can’t match the Torcal’s performance.

Ferrari’s Luce EV is far more expensive, as is a Rolls-Royce Spectre, even in used form, which would give the opulence and ride comfort a Bentley driver would expect.