Key Takeaways
- Bentley Torcal debut: Official unveiling set for September 23, 2026 in London, with market arrival in 2027; over 1,000 horsepower and 0-60 mph in roughly 3 seconds.
- Shared platform: Crewe's electric SUV adopts the 800-volt PPE (Premium Platform Electric) architecture, the same underpinning the new Porsche Cayenne Electric.
- Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II: A 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 producing 563 hp and 900 Nm, with the Phantom Centenary built in just 25 units to mark the Phantom name's 100th anniversary.
Bentley Torcal: Crewe's Electric Turning Point
The name chosen for Bentley's new model draws from the karst landscape of El Torcal de Antequera in Andalusia, and that's no accident: the Bentley Torcal marks a clean break from more than a century of the brand's mechanical tradition. It will be the first fully electric vehicle Bentley has ever produced, with its official unveiling set for September 23, 2026 in London, and market arrival scheduled for 2027.
In terms of size, the Torcal takes shape as a mid-size SUV, measuring roughly five metres in length, positioned below the Bentayga in the range hierarchy. Notably, the new arrival won't replace the combustion-powered model, which will continue in production and even receive a new generation in 2028 — evidence of a strategy built around coexistence between the two technologies rather than outright replacement.
The technical heart of the project lies in the PPE platform, Premium Platform Electric, shared with the upcoming Porsche Cayenne Electric. It's an 800-volt architecture designed to deliver rapid charging and segment-leading performance. Figures released so far point to over 1,000 horsepower for the range-topping version, a 0-60 mph sprint estimated at around 3 seconds, and a claimed range exceeding 500 kilometres under the WLTP homologation cycle.
On the styling front, the Torcal introduces a completely refreshed design language, one that industry observers expect to anticipate the future evolution of Bentley's entire lineup. Standout elements include an illuminated front grille, vertically arranged LED lighting clusters, and a "prestige shield" at the rear whose shape explicitly echoes the leather luggage trunks of vintage Bentleys, building a visual bridge between historic craftsmanship and next-generation electric components.
Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II: Craftsmanship Without Compromise
While Bentley looks ahead, Rolls-Royce chooses to celebrate its own history. 2025 marked the 100th anniversary of the Phantom name, and the house of Goodwood honoured the occasion with special editions that push the concept of automotive luxury into nearly uncharted territory. The Phantom Centenary, built in just 25 units, is regarded by insiders as the most elaborate variant ever produced within the Phantom lineup.
The interior of this limited edition stands as a genuine manifesto of British craftsmanship: 77 sketches tracing the model's history have been reproduced using an extraordinarily wide range of techniques, from fabric printing to wood marquetry, laser engraving, and hand embroidery. Even the celebrated Spirit of Ecstasy emblem received special treatment, cast in 18-carat gold and subsequently plated in 24-carat gold. The two-tone bodywork, meanwhile, is finished with a crystalline champagne top coat enriched with fragments of iridescent glass.
The Phantom Series II also serves as a symbolic link between past and present. During 2025, entrepreneur Anant Ambani purchased a Phantom VIII Series II Extended finished in a shade paying tribute to the legendary "Star of India" — a 1934 Phantom II originally commissioned by the Maharaja of Rajkot and inspired by a 563-carat star sapphire. That historic automotive jewel thus finds a contemporary reinterpretation, keeping the connection to the model's heritage fully intact.
Under the bonnet, the Phantom Series II retains the BMW-derived 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12, delivering 563 horsepower and 900 Nm of peak torque. Claimed performance figures point to a 0-60 mph sprint in 5.3 seconds and a top speed electronically limited to 155 mph. Fuel consumption, consistent with the flagship's size and character, sits between 15.9 and 16.3 litres per 100 kilometres.
Two Industrial Philosophies Compared
The Bentley Torcal and the Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II tell two distinct industrial stories within the same market segment. The Torcal is conceived as a car meant to be driven by its owner, an electric SUV built for everyday use yet fitted with performance comparable to a supercar's. The Phantom, by contrast, remains a car built to be driven in, a travelling drawing room where luxury translates into silence, interior space, and a level of hand-craftsmanship that demands hundreds of hours of manual work for every single unit.
The Torcal projects itself toward technological innovation through its 800-volt electric platform and a design that breaks from the brand's stylistic tradition. The Phantom, on the other hand, perpetuates a manufacturing art that time seems not to have touched, keeping the V12 engine as an indispensable identity marker. Both cars nonetheless share one common trait: an obsessive attention to build quality and the pursuit of a driving — or being-driven — experience that stands clearly apart from the rest of premium automotive production.
