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Bentley’s First Electric SUV Takes Shape in the Arctic

Bentley’s transition into the electric era is beginning to look very real indeed. Spotted undergoing cold-weather testing in northern Sweden, the British marque’s first fully electric vehicle has been revealed in its most production-ready form yet, shedding much of the heavy camouflage that cloaked earlier prototypes.

Officially due to be unveiled towards the end of next year, the model – internally referred to as Bentley’s “Luxury Urban SUV” – represents a landmark moment for the Crewe-based manufacturer. And while some key design elements remain hidden, what’s now visible offers a compelling first look at how Bentley intends to translate its traditional values into an electric future.

Without the bulky disguises of earlier test mules, the SUV’s proportions are far clearer. A Bentayga-inspired bonnet line sits above production-spec front lighting, while a wide, low stance gives the car a planted and purposeful presence. The overall silhouette is notably monolithic, drawing strong inspiration from the EXP 15 concept, signalling that Bentley is serious about carrying concept-car drama into its production EVs.

That said, Bentley is still keeping its cards close to its chest. Portions of the nose and rear remain covered, concealing the final details of the design. Even so, the car already looks unmistakably Bentley – an important consideration for a brand entering unfamiliar territory.

For the first time, photographers have also caught a glimpse inside the cabin, and here the blend of old and new becomes even more apparent. Traditional Bentley cues remain front and centre, particularly the familiar round, metal air vents carried over from the Bentayga. Alongside them, however, is a clear step forward in digital technology, borrowed from the closely related Porsche Cayenne Electric.

A 14.25-inch curved digital instrument display sits ahead of the driver, complemented by a large 14.9-inch central infotainment touchscreen. The layout suggests Bentley is aiming to balance tactile luxury with cutting-edge tech, rather than abandoning its heritage in favour of minimalist futurism.

Underneath, the electric SUV will ride on the PPE platform jointly developed by Porsche and Audi. While Bentley has yet to confirm detailed specifications, R&D boss Matthias Rabe has already hinted at one of the car’s headline features: charging speed. According to Rabe, the EV will be capable of adding up to 100 miles of range in just six and a half minutes, putting it among the fastest-charging electric vehicles on the market.

Such performance implies charging rates of up to 350kW, placing the Bentley just behind the Lotus Emeya, which currently leads the UK market with 400kW capability. Of course, real-world charging will depend heavily on infrastructure, with the average UK charger delivering closer to 120kW. Nevertheless, the figures underline Bentley’s ambition to make EV ownership as seamless as possible.

Rabe also offered bold claims about the car’s dynamic ability, describing it as “very comfortable like a Flying Spur and agile like a Continental GT”. He added that both its 0–100mph and 0–200mph acceleration times would be “very fast”, concluding confidently that it will be “the best Bentley on the road”.

Positioned below the Bentayga, the new EV will be the shortest SUV in Bentley’s lineup, measuring under five metres in length. Its compact footprint is central to its “urban” positioning, with Rabe emphasising a tight turning radius to improve manoeuvrability in city environments – a notable shift for a brand traditionally associated with grand scale.

While Bentley has yet to confirm how closely its EV will mirror the Porsche Cayenne Electric mechanically, the similarities are difficult to ignore. The Cayenne Electric uses dual-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrains ranging from 400bhp to 805bhp, with launch control pushing output close to 1000bhp in range-topping form. A 108kWh battery provides an estimated range of up to 373 miles, offering a useful benchmark for what Bentley’s version might deliver.

Bentley CEO Frank Walliser has confirmed the electric SUV will debut “towards the end of 2026”, with customer deliveries beginning the following year. Importantly, he stressed that the timeline will remain unchanged regardless of fluctuations in global EV demand.

Attention to craftsmanship remains a core part of the story. Rabe revealed that the interior will feature 30 square metres of leather, assembled using 150 metres of thread and an extraordinary 130,000 stitches – figures that underline Bentley’s determination to preserve its artisanal identity in the electric age.

Walliser summed up the significance of the project: “Our first fully electric Bentley, the world’s first true luxury urban SUV, represents a bold step forward. It embodies our vision for sustainable luxury and technological excellence.”

“With industry-leading charging capability and unmistakable Bentley character and design, it marks the beginning of an exciting new era for our brand – a future defined by innovation, craftsmanship and sustainability.”

If this early prototype is anything to go by, Bentley’s electric future is shaping up to be every bit as ambitious as its past.

Source: Autocar

News

Mercedes-Benz’s Quiet Revolution: Repairable Headlights and the Rise of a Circular Car

Sustainability in the automotive world is often measured in grams of CO₂ per kilometer, yet some of the most meaningful changes happen far from the tailpipe. With its Tomorrow XX initiative, Mercedes-Benz is turning its attention to the often-overlooked environmental cost of how cars are built, repaired, and ultimately recycled. The result is a series of practical, engineer-led solutions that could reshape how premium vehicles age over time.

One of the most tangible changes is coming to modern Mercedes headlights. Traditionally, these complex units are sealed together with adhesive bonds, making repairs nearly impossible. A cracked lens or damaged housing usually means replacing the entire headlight assembly—an expensive process that generates unnecessary waste. Under the Tomorrow XX program, adhesive joints will gradually be replaced by threaded connections. Lenses, covers, frames, housings, and even electronic components will be designed to be disassembled and replaced individually.

In real-world terms, this means that a simple stone chip no longer has to condemn an entire headlight unit. A mechanic will be able to remove the damaged lens and fit a new one, extending the component’s service life while reducing repair costs and material waste. It’s a small change in design philosophy with a potentially large impact on ownership experience and sustainability.

But repairable headlights are only one piece of a broader circular-economy puzzle. Mercedes is also finding new lives for materials that would normally be discarded. Fiberglass-reinforced polyamide recovered from used airbags is being repurposed to manufacture engine mounts, while plastics from end-of-life vehicles are reused as protective coatings for the chassis of new models. Instead of extracting fresh raw materials, the company is increasingly mining its own past.

Perhaps the most controversial innovation lies inside the cabin. Mercedes says that recycled plastic from worn-out tires can serve as the foundation for artificial leather. When combined with biological proteins, the result is a material the brand claims closely resembles natural leather in both composition and structure. According to Mercedes, it is also twice as wear-resistant and more tolerant of extreme temperatures—an engineering argument that may matter more to durability than to tradition-minded luxury buyers.

What unites all these initiatives is a shift in how emissions are understood. While consumers tend to focus on what comes out of the exhaust, a car’s environmental footprint begins long before the first kilometer is driven. Material extraction, processing, and manufacturing all contribute significantly to total emissions. By increasing the use of secondary raw materials and reducing dependence on primary resources, Mercedes aims to cut pollution at the source.

The Tomorrow XX initiative may not generate the same headlines as a new electric flagship or a dramatic concept car. Yet its implications are arguably just as important. By rethinking how components are assembled, repaired, and reborn, Mercedes-Benz is quietly redefining what sustainability means in the premium automotive segment—and proving that the future of luxury may be as much about longevity and responsibility as it is about performance and prestige.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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Toyota’s GR Yaris Ad Pulled in Australia After Safety Ruling

Toyota has once again found itself on the wrong side of Australian advertising regulators, this time over a television commercial promoting its rally-bred GR Yaris hot hatch. The ad has been withdrawn from broadcast after being ruled in breach of the country’s motor vehicle advertising standards, reigniting a familiar debate about how performance cars can be marketed in a tightly regulated environment.

The commercial in question leans heavily into the GR Yaris’ motorsport image. It opens in a remote setting, where a driver clad in racing gear walks into a fast-food restaurant named Up’n Down Burgers and casually orders a burger, fries and a milkshake. While the food is being prepared, the scene cuts to the GR Yaris being driven hard across loose gravel, its rally credentials front and centre.

Things escalate quickly. The driver collects the takeaway order while executing a dramatic jump, before the car transitions to rain-slicked asphalt near a port. Here, Toyota showcases the GR-Four all-wheel-drive system, briefly switching to two-wheel drive before the GR Yaris finishes with a sharp sideways stop alongside the GR86 and GR Corolla—effectively framing the GR trio as a performance-focused family.

That final sequence proved to be the ad’s undoing. Following a complaint about unsafe driving practices, Australian regulators ruled that the commercial breached the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) Code. The determination stated that if the driving depicted had taken place on public roads, it would “almost certainly” have broken road laws in any Australian state or territory.

Toyota pushed back against the ruling, arguing that the advertisement was clearly fictional and stylised. The company highlighted the GR brand’s genuine motorsport pedigree, noting that the driving portrayed rally-style action carried out by professionals on closed roads, in vehicles closely related to its Gazoo Racing competition cars. According to Toyota, the intent was not to promote recklessness, but to dramatise what a capable driver and a purpose-built car can achieve under controlled conditions.

Regulators were unconvinced. Despite Toyota’s objections, the media agency responsible for the campaign was instructed to pull the ad from broadcast, and it has since been removed from television programming—though it remains accessible on YouTube.

“Toyota Australia confirms the decision made by Ad Standards. The current ad for the GR Yaris has been suspended until we make the necessary adjustments,” a Toyota Australia spokesperson said in an interview with Drive.

The episode underscores the ongoing tension between carmakers eager to celebrate performance and regulators determined to ensure advertising does not appear to endorse dangerous driving. For Toyota’s GR division, the challenge now is clear: how to sell rally-inspired excitement without crossing the increasingly fine line drawn by compliance rules.

Source: Toyota

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