2015 Geneva Motor Show: Bentley reveals the EXP 10 Speed 6, two seat sportscar
British marque Bentley makes some exquisite GT cars. The Continental GT, for example, is a fast, sporty number and for its sheer size, a nimble handler. But what if the discerning Bentley enthusiast and millionaire is looking for a purposeful, two seater sportscar and not a luxe barge?
The Crew based manufacturer has just presented its new concept sportscar, called the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Unlike Bentley's traditional sports coupes and convertibles with four seats, this new baby is a light, svelte and toned sportscar with two seats. Bentley says that the form of the car is inspired from the company's sporting heritage, which shows in the new concept's sporty stance. The long bonnet that stretches in front of the driver and the short, swoopy, coupe-shaped rear section highlight Bentley's new design language. The iconic Bentley matrix grille, flanked by two headlights on either side gives the car the family face.
Bentley says that an advanced 3D metal printing technology has been used to design the grille, exhausts, door handles and side vents that results is a high degree of design precision. The grille, for instance, is no longer flat but has a complex 3D geometry, which is only visible when viewed at an angle.
The interior is the company's most performance oriented luxury cabin to date, says Bentley. As is the case with any Bentley, the new concept EXP 10 features an interior design that is rather opulent. The dashboard sports a beautifully crafted, leather wrapped steering wheel behind which lies a digital instrument cluster. The centre console consists of a curved 12-inch touchscreen that is embodied in an aluminium frame. Two quilted leather seats along with quilted leather door inlays contribute to exude the charm of a typical Bentley interior. The stowage compartment behind the seats is designed to carry up to four bags that are designed as per specifications.
 Bentley, however, has hinted that the new EXP 10 Speed 6 could be a model line in the future that would sell alongside the current Continental GT. Wolfgang Dürheimer, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors  said, "EXP 10 Speed 6 is one vision for Bentley's future â€" a powerful, exquisite and individual concept. The show car has the potential to be the new pinnacle luxury two-seat sportscar. It offers thrilling, driver-oriented performance, complete with trademark modern Bentley luxury and effortlessness."
This exciting new concept from Bentley, although in concept stage, looks promising and if produced  will stir an interesting contest with the current crop of twin seat sportscars.
| (Crewe / Geneva, 2nd March 2015) Bentley Motors is showing the future direction of luxury and performance with the EXP 10 Speed 6 at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show. The concept is a British interpretation of a high performance two seater sportscar using modern automotive design, highly skilled handcrafting, the finest materials and advanced performance technology. From the racing success of the company's early years to the international motorsport success of today, 'speed' is part of Bentley's DNA. This inspiration is expressed throughout the EXP 10 Speed 6, where iconic Bentley design cues are fused with progressive craftsmanship techniques and modern technologies. Copper elements are used as accents to both exterior and interior features to highlight the performance hybrid potential of the concept's advanced new powertrain. Performance goals including top speed are set to challenge competitors and define a new segment benchmark. Wolfgang Dürheimer, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors, comments: "EXP 10 Speed 6 is one vision for Bentley's future â€" a powerful, exquisite and individual concept. The showcar has the potential to be the new pinnacle luxury two-seat sports car. It offers thrilling, driver-oriented performance, complete with trademark modern Bentley luxury and effortlessness. It could be a future model line, alongside the Continental GT and redefining the pinnacle of another market sector, and the styling of the EXP 10 Speed 6 could influence the expansion of the Bentley family. This is not just a new sports car concept â€" but the potential Bentley sports car â€" a bold vision for a brand with a bold future." Contemporary Design, Yet Unmistakably Bentley The exterior design of EXP 10 Speed 6 is an expression of muscular, athletic surfaces inspired by the aerodynamic shapes of aircraft fuselages and wings. The ethos of the design was to develop contemporary interpretations of Bentley styling cues, which have been brought together with beauty and precision. The result is a coupe of clean, modern surfaces whilst remaining unmistakably Bentley. Creating exciting contemporary ideas from classic starting points is evident across the car, from the new interpretation of the iconic Bentley matrix grille and four-round headlamps to the paint colour â€" a deeper, richer and heavily metallic version of British Racing Green. The principles of established Bentley luxury have been applied in new and invigorating ways that use the latest technologies and techniques. The shapes and lines of EXP 10 Speed 6 represent a dynamic sculpture, creating harmony between sharp lines and flowing surfaces and using twisted surfaces to imply speed. Combined with muscular proportions and an athletic stance through the use of a short front overhang, long bonnet, low grille and wide rear shape with a long C-post, the exterior styling hints at high speed potential of the car. Every exterior material and each individual detail is designed to modern Bentley style. Cutting-edge 3D metal printing technology has allowed the grille mesh, exhausts, door handles and side vents to be delivered with micro-scale design detail precision. The iconic Bentley mesh grille, for example, is no longer a flat plane of latticework but includes varying depth with a complex 3D geometry only visible when viewed at an angle. Bentley's renowned quilted leather has inspired three dimensional texture to the precision glass of the headlamps. These exterior elements come together to present a Bentley for the next generation â€" lean, toned and exquisitely precise, designed around new evolutions of the design elements that unite all Bentleys â€" past, present and future. Bentley's Most Performance-Orientated Luxury Cabin The inspiration for the interior comes from the continuous line that runs around the cabin, driving through the console and into two symmetrical wings before flowing into the door and looping back into the console armrest. Two elegant quilted sports seats are positioned either side of the narrow centre console which houses exquisite driver controls and a highly intuitive 12" touch screen. These features combine futuristic technology seamlessly with progressive Bentley craftsmanship. Each detail has taken core Bentley interior DNA principles and moved them forwards. For example, the classic and purposeful Bentley knurled surface is a feature throughout the controls of the car, but now created using steel and copper together to create a two-metal 3D texture. Continuing the fusion of traditional materials and contemporary design statements, the doors of EXP 10 Speed 6 feature 3D quilting, milled directly in to solid straight-grain cherry wood. Each resulting diamond is finished with a copper centre. The centre console integrates digital information with tactile controls via a curved touch screen housed in an aluminium frame. The fascia instruments deploy from a flat position into the drivers view as the car is started using the floating "B" button integrated in to a non-symmetrical gear lever finished in aluminium, copper and cherry wood. A mechanical rev counter and digital display combine to provide the perfect balance of modern driver information and analogue beauty. The rear interior space is divided into two compartments designed to house a specifically designed four-piece luggage set. Like the rest of the interior, the rear has been trimmed by the master craftsmen at Bentley in the highest quality Poltrona Frau leather. | |