Bentley Goes Over Top With EXP 100 GT Concept

Providing extraordinary journeys for high achievers was Bentley’s pledge to its customers looking to the future as it celebrates 100 years of building automobiles. 

And the global unveiling of the car to embody this message reveals the super-clean and minimalist flanks of the Bentley EXP 100 GT concept. Bentley intends for the all-electric, fully autonomous (with manual override) Grand Tourer to blend the traditional characteristics of prominent round headlamps and dominant matrix front grille with cutting-edge new technologies. 

Crafted from sustainably sourced lightweight aluminum, copper and carbon fiber, the Bentley EXP 100 GT measures a massive 19 ft. (5.8 m) long and almost 7.7 ft. (2.3 m)  wide. Even the Lamborghini-like scissor automatic doors are 6.5 ft. (2.0 m) wide and, fully open, rise nearly 10 ft. (3.0 m) above ground level. 

Body paint is created using a synthetic pigment that reflects a spectrum of autumnal colors and is guaranteed sustainable and environmentally friendly. It is made with rice-husk ash, a byproduct of the rice industry that otherwise would end up as landfill waste. 

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Within the luxurious, handcrafted interior the standout features include intelligent, adaptable biometric seating that can be configured three different ways, depending on whether the owner is driving or using autonomous mode. Biometric sensors monitor temperature, passenger position and environmental conditions to deliver optimal comfort in all conditions. 

These seats can even assess the mood of the driver via the artificial-intelligence-driven Bentley Personal Assistant boasting reactive surfaces that can respond to passenger position during driving, automatically offering more support when the need is sensed. Biometrics also track eye and head movements and even blood pressure. 

A full battery-electric vehicle, the concept employs Bentley’s next-generation Traction Drive employing torque vectoring to apply 50% more power and 35% less mass to enhance cornering. 

Although some power features have yet to be revealed, the battery system will power four motors that offer a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) sprint time of less than 2.5 seconds, a top speed of 186 mph (300 km/h) and maximum torque of 1,106 lb.-ft. (1,500 Nm). 

Bentley claims its future battery technology will offer five times the conventional energy density, charging the EXP 100 GT to 80% of capacity in just 15 minutes, a process that will be handled automatically by Bentley Personal Assistant. Lightweighting claims to keep the vehicle’s weight down to 4,188 lbs. (1,901 kg) and enabling a potential range of 435 miles (700 km). 

Other AI-powered features include Active Aero Wheels that automatically adjust to deliver efficiency or maximum performance feel, depending on driver demand, and intelligent Pirelli tires that adapt their contact patches based on weather conditions or driver behavior. 

Adrian Hallmark, Bentley chairman and CEO, says: “Our customers want extraordinary experiences and extraordinary journeys and, inspired by our customers, here is a Grand Tourer to enrich and enhance every journey for those lucky few. 

“Today, on our Centenary, we demonstrate our vision of the future of our Marque with the Bentley EXP 100 GT – a modern and definitive Grand Tourer designed to demonstrate that the future of luxury mobility is as inspirational and aspirational as the last 100 years.” 

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