{
  "id": 9391884,
  "title": "Bentley launches first fully electric car – with fake engine sounds to replace classic growl",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/bentley-launches-first-fully-electric-car-with-fake-engine-sounds-to",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-23T18:15:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/sep/23/bentley-launches-first-fully-electric-car-fake-engine-sounds"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bentley has unveiled its inaugural fully electric vehicle, the Torcal SUV, as part of a £350 million investment in its UK operations. The electric SUV boasts an impressive range of 375 miles on a single charge and is set to be manufactured at Bentley's Crewe factory, preserving jobs for 4,000 employees. Starting at £173,000, the Torcal is the company's most affordable model to date. To appeal to both electric vehicle skeptics and younger buyers, Bentley has introduced synthetic engine sounds, created from drum recordings that mimic its traditional eight-cylinder engine's growl. This synthetic engine noise is aimed at adding \"emotion to the car\" and bridging the gap for new customers. Bentley's CEO, Frank-Steffen Walliser, anticipates the Torcal will attract a younger clientele due to its more robust design and affordable price point, making the brand more accessible to a wider audience. This launch comes as part of a thin market for fully electric luxury SUVs, with competitors such as Rolls-Royce's Spectre and the Range Rover Electric occupying similar segments. The Torcal also represents a more cautious entry into the EV market for Bentley, who previously predicted more ambitious plans. The company has faced challenges in the EV market, recently abandoning its plan to launch multiple electric models annually. Walliser acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding demand for the Torcal, stating that while early indications are strong in the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, they are cautious about predicting future sales. The Torcal marks Bentley's fourth model, joining the Continental, Flying Spur, and Bentayga. This investment is the third significant funding announcement in just over a week for Britain's automotive sector, alongside Nissan's £170 million investment at its Sunderland plant and McLaren's £500 million factory expansion, creating 1,000 jobs. Despite these successes, carmakers worldwide continue to grapple with challenges from US tariffs, competition from Chinese manufacturers, and high industrial energy costs. Bentley's owner, Volkswagen, is also pursuing a broader cost-cutting strategy, with plans to eliminate 100,000 jobs globally by 2030. Walliser emphasized that Bentley remains a successful business and is immune to the cuts, citing the company's strong performance during the post-pandemic boom.",
  "summary": "Torcal SUV can travel up to 375 miles on a single charge and is part of a £350m investment in the VW-owned carmaker’s UK business Bentley is launching its first fully electric car – complete with a drum soundtrack to replace the growl of a combustion engine – as part of a £350m investment in its UK business. The vehicle, an SUV called the Torcal, is Bentley’s cheapest, starting at £173,000, and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Handelsblatt",
        "title": "Luxury under current: SUV Torcal is supposed to bring Bentley into the electric age",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/luxus-unter-strom-suv-torcal-soll-bentley-ins-elektro-zeitalter-beamen",
        "published": "2026-09-23T18:15:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "First images of Bentley's Torcal, its first fully electric vehicle",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/first-images-of-bentleys-torcal-its-first-fully-electric-vehicle",
        "published": "2026-09-23T18:15:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Business",
        "title": "Bentley unveils its first fully electric car",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/bentley-unveils-its-first-fully-electric-car",
        "published": "2026-09-23T19:21:10.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf Times Business",
        "title": "Bentley tests wealthy buyers' interest in going electric with first EV",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/bentley-tests-wealthy-buyers-interest-in-going-electric-with-first-ev",
        "published": "2026-09-23T21:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Business Recorder",
        "title": "Bentley tests wealthy buyers' interest in going electric with first EV",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/bentley-tests-wealthy-buyers-interest-in-going-electric-with-first-ev",
        "published": "2026-09-24T07:29:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}