Bentley Motors opened a new design studio in Crewe and used the occasion to unveil its latest luxury vision car – the Bentley EXP 15. This 5.1-meter-plus concept looks back to Bentley’s 1930s grand tourers while blending them with 21st‑century innovation. Its bold front end features the marque’s signature upright grille and an “endless” long hood, evoking the legendary 1930 “Blue Train” Bentley Speed Six. Although EXP 15 will never reach production, it previews Bentley’s forthcoming design direction – including hints at the brand’s first fully-electric model due around 2026.
Overlaying this classic-inspired silhouette are Bentley’s five new exterior design principles. From the front, the “Iconic Grille” is reimagined as a shuttered, backlit panel with a modern geometric LED pattern and a glowing central spine. Above it sits a sharper, slimmed-down “Winged B” emblem – the brand’s fifth major logo redesign in 106 years – signalling the start of a new era of Bentley styling. The overall front profile retains Bentley’s hallmark “Upright Elegance” in its tall, gently curved shape, while high-tech headlights and active vents blend contemporary details into the heritage-inspired form.
In side view, EXP 15 emphasizes an “Endless Bonnet” and “Resting Beast” stance. Its long, one‑piece hood flows unbroken under the windows to a streamlined rear – a nod to Bentley’s large classic engines now hiding clever storage under twin access panels. The rear fenders bulge over the wheels like a crouching big cat’s haunches, yet the car’s posture remains relaxed and balanced. Even subtle details – slender side vents, flush door handles, and deployable rear spoilers and diffusers – are integrated so that elegance and aerodynamic function coexist.
Bentley EXP 15’s interior is equally adventurous. Designed with virtual reality, the cabin blends physical luxury with flexible digital interfaces. It seats three people: the driver and a single front passenger, plus one rear passenger. The doors are asymmetric – the driver’s side uses a regular door, while the passenger side has twin coach doors that open upward – and the front passenger seat can swivel 45° and slide rearward for a “Relax” mode, creating extra space and comfort. Clever storage is built in (a fold-out floor compartment for luggage or even a pet), and when the car is parked the tailgate reveals a picnic bench with its own lamp and fridge. All this is aimed at making boarding and travel as comfortable and dignified as a true grand tour should be.
Materials in EXP 15 blend traditional craftsmanship with futuristic tech. The interior showcases sumptuous British textiles – for example, Fox Brothers’ damson‑ombre wool cloth – alongside ultra-light 3D‑printed titanium trim. Designers also weave in silk jacquard and a fine metal mesh called “Acrylic Couture,” set beneath Bentley’s quilted veneer so that it glows as an “active 3D quilt” when illuminated. These artisanal, sustainably sourced materials (wood, stone, wool) highlight Bentley’s heritage craft while keeping weight and waste low.
The technology in EXP 15 is conceived as a “magical fusion” of analog and digital. The full-width dashboard display can retract behind wood panels, and at the center sits a clock-like “Mechanical Marvel” with moving illuminated arms to show navigation cues or battery status in a tactile way. Bentley’s designers say this mix of traditional dials and cutting-edge screens offers the best of both worlds. Even the lighting is artistically reinterpreted: slim LED strips at the car’s corners and diamond-patterned illuminators in the grille frame carry Bentley’s motifs into the EV age. Active aero elements like deployable rear wings and diffusers are seamlessly hidden within the elegant surfaces, so performance does not compromise appearance.
The EXP 15 is a showcase of Bentley’s electric future. It is imagined to run on a fully electric, all-wheel-drive powertrain with long range and fast charging. In fact, Bentley has confirmed it will launch its first production electric vehicle – a compact luxury SUV – in 2026 as part of its strategy to move to plug-in and full-electric models across the lineup. While EXP 15 itself won’t be sold, its blend of history and high tech – from the Blue Train Speed Six inspiration to the reengineered grille and new winged emblem – lays the groundwork for the next generation of Bentley grand tourers.
