Author:
ROBIN ROBERTS
Development of the next generation Bentley is continuing.
After a brief showing at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Bentley has released more images of its luxury performance SUV design concept, the EXP 9 F.
The EXP 9 F highlights Bentley’s intent to build the fastest and most luxurious SUV in the world while reaffirming the concept’s innovative fusion of contemporary, crafted luxury, advanced technology, commanding driving position and all-terrain capability. .
It was unveiled at theGeneva International Salon d’Auto earlier this year and was a star in China, but now it will continue at the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, California in August.
The EXP 9 F heralds a third Bentley model-line alongside the bespoke Mulsanne and the high performance Continental GT, GTC and Flying Spur.
The new pinnacle-luxury Bentley would offer exhilarating performance, setting new benchmarks for the SUV sector. The EXP 9 F concept on display in Beijing is based around the Bentley 6.0 litre, twin-turbocharged W12 petrol engine, developing 600bhp and 800 Nm of torque coupled with an 8-speed close-ratio transmission.
A range of other powertrain options are under consideration. This includes Bentley’s recently launched 500bhp, 4.0 litre petrol V8 as well as a groundbreaking powertrain for the luxury SUV segment – a V6 plug-in hybrid. With a potential 30km range in full electric mode and CO2 emissions of 130g/km, the V6 hybrid would still be capable of a 0 to 100km/h sprint time of less than 5 seconds.
After its unveiling at the Geneva motor show this year, Bentley said it could go into production by 2014.
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