Last year, Bentley announced that it was moving ahead with its first SUV. Now it's given the world a glimpse of the ultra-premium utility vehicle in the form of a teaser picture.
While most of the vehicle is obscured by billowing dust (you know, because this SUV is going to do all kinds of off-roading when it hits the market), it's clear that Bentley is moving in a more Continental GT styling direction.
Looking straight at the Bentley SUV's face, we see that the headlights have been changed from the bulging, Mulsanne-like eyes of the EXP 9 F concept to a Continental GT-like configuration of large and small ovals.
It also appears that the sides of the front-end are more rounded and Continental-like when compared to the squared off mug of the EXP 9 F (pictured below). The windshield looks more sloped back than on the concept, and the unsightly nostrils hovering on either side of the grille are gone.
In the picture, it's hard to pinpoint exactly where the teased Bentley's tires meet the shifty desert sand below, but it appears to be a lower-riding, crossover-style utility vehicle, just like the beefy, 4WD station wagon styling of the EXP 9 F. This is supported by the teaser sketch Bentley showed last July.
Bentley reiterates the claim that its SUV will be the most luxurious and powerful in the world, with Bentley Chairman and Chief Executive Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber promising that, "it will create a completely new segment in the SUV market."
Bentley doesn't offer any new information on the car's specs or debut date, but it still has plenty of time given its 2016 production plans. It anticipates selling 3,000+ models per year.
Bentley may end up with the first ultra-luxury utility vehicle, but other manufacturers have displayed SUVs that play in the same territory.
Source: Bentley
