{
  "id": 9621008,
  "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",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-23T21:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf Times Business",
    "slug": "gulf-times-business",
    "url": "https://www.gulf-times.com/article/734080/business/bentley-tests-wealthy-buyers-interest-in-going-electric-with-first-ev"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bentley is exploring the potential of electric vehicles (EVs) with its first EV, the Torcal SUV. This decision comes just months after Ferrari unveiled their own EV, which faced criticism for deviating from the brand's traditional design. However, Bentley's Torcal aims to strike a balance between zero-emission motoring and preserving its iconic British luxury car design. Like classic Bentley models, the Torcal features styling cues such as diamond-shaped lights, which are reminiscent of the car's front grille, even though EVs don't require them for engine cooling.\n\nTo maintain the essence of a Bentley, the Torcal recreates the feel of a V8 engine through a soundtrack inspired by orchestral timpani, complemented by smaller drums that intensify as the vehicle accelerates. Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser expressed the company's belief that customers are not demanding a completely different car just because it's electric. Currently, aside from Ferrari and Rolls-Royce (owned by BMW), Bentley is the only major ultra-luxury carmaker selling an EV. Other competitors like Lamborghini and McLaren have either delayed their EV launches or haven't announced any plans, citing limited customer demand.",
  "summary": "Bentley is betting that wealthy buyers want zero-emission motoring without sacrificing the design cues that have defined the British luxury carmaker for more than a century, reports Reuters. The launc...",
  "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": "Guardian Business",
        "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",
        "published": "2026-09-23T18:15:55.000Z"
      },
      {
        "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": "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."
}