2015 Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6

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2015 Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6


2015 bentley exp 10 speed 6 - DOC619492

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SPECIFICATIONS:





With sales increasing tenfold since the Volkswagen
Group took over the British carmaker after a fierce battle with BMW, Bentley 

has been on a roll this year, despite a somewhat aging lineup. After announcing that the company’s first SUV will launch toward the end of the year, Bentley introduced a second mid-cycle refresh for the top-selling Continental GT line and has now unveiled a near-production concept car at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.
Called the EXP 10 Speed 6, the new Bentley concept radiates with old-school British luxury in a modern and compact package, while part of its name harks back to Woolf Barnato’s famous Blue Train Bentley from 1930. Featuring two seats and a long hood, and painted in a variation of British Racing Green, the EXP 10 Speed Six has a pretty good chance of going into production in the near future.

Exterior




Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
The number "6" is embossed in the engine grille, while the bumper grille somewhat resembles a twisted smile and comes with two LED strips at each end.
Depite its name recalling a six-cylinder Bentley from over eight decades ago, the EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept has an exterior that actually blends late 1950s proportions with modern design motifs. Although it has a clean overall look, there are a lot of muscular surfaces going on, with Bentley saying that they have been "inspired by the aerodynamic shapes of aircraft fuselages and wings." The front end is typically Bentley, with a giant matrix mesh grille being accompanied by four roundish headlights. The number "6" is embossed in the engine grille, while the bumper grille somewhat resembles a twisted smile and has two LED strips at each end.
The side profile view is again typically Bentley, albeit the stance is more athletic courtesy of a long hood, a short front overhang, muscular fenders and giant wheels. Getting to the rear, the EXP 10 Speed 6 meets us with a leaner look than current production Bentleys, while the wide shoulder lines are more inline with the Aston Martin design language. The oval LED taillights are similarly shaped as the exhaust pipes, giving the car a more modern Bentley vibe. Interestingly, the mesh grille, exhaust exits, door handles and side vents are 3D printed, not stamped.

Gallery Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6




Interior




Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
The interior door panels feature 3D quilting, milled straight out of a solid piece of cherry wood, while each resulting diamond is finished with a copper center.
If the neo-retro exterior wasn’t enough to capture your interest, the exquisite design and craftmanship of the interior will surely do it. The cabin consists of a symphony of two-tone leather (green and saddle-brown), aluminum, steel, copper and cherry wood. The classic Bentley knurled surfacing can be found throughout the cockpit of the EXP 10 Speed 6, only this time it was created mixing steel and copper. Traditional, analogue details blend in almost perfectly with modern and futuristic features all over the cabin, with the two quilted sports seats accompanying a narrow center console with a curved 12-inch touchscreen.
The interior door panels feature 3D quilting, milled straight out of a solid piece of cherry wood, while each resulting diamond is finished with a copper center. The two-tone upholstery is trimmed in Italian Poltrona Frau leather, while the luggage compartment has two compartments designed to provide room for a specific four-piece luggage set. Just like most of the exterior details, the interior looks almost production-ready.

GalleryBentley EXP 10 Speed 6




Drivetrain




Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
Bentley hasn’t divulged any details about the EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept’s drivetrain, but if its nomenclature’s legacy is a suggestion, a six-cylinder engine should be in order. The original Speed Six Bentleys had straight-six powerplants, but since that engine configuration is nonexistent in the current Volkswagen VolkswagenGroup stable, maybe a twin-turbocharged V-6 could be a good-enough replacement. Then again, a production version of the model would need to battle eight-cylinder sports cars like the Jaguar F-Type and Mercedes-AMG GT, so another version of the Audi-sourced 4.0 TFSI V-8 may be used instead.

Prices




Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
Knowing Bentley, a production Speed 6 would not be a bargain compared to its rivals. A starting price of around $150,000 wouldn’t be out of the question, making it slightly cheaper than the least-expensive Continental GT model.

Competition

ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE




Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT
A bit long in the tooth compared with any of its rivals, the current V8 Vantage has provided an entry-level choice in the Aston Martin lineup since 2005. A couple of small refreshes and 10 years later, the model is still powered by a Jaguar Jaguar-derived V-8. With a displacement of 4.7 liters, the engine delivers 420 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque in the base model and 430 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque in the V8 Vantage S model.
Both versions are paired with a seven-speed, sequential transaxle, which sends the power to the rear wheels. A future replacement of the V8 Vantage may be powered by Mercedes-AMG, thanks to an agreement between the two companies.

Gallery  Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT




MERCEDES-AMG GT




Mercedes-AMG GT
Largely based on a shortened version of the SLS AMG architecture, the Mercedes-AMG GT also comes in two versions, each powered by a V-8. The base model’s twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V-8 delivers 456 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, while the GT S’s engine has an output of 503 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. Both versions send their power to the rear wheels through a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission in a transaxle configuration. The GT comes with a regular LSD (Limited Slip Differential), while the GT S features an electronically controlled one.
Thanks to a more intelligent aluminum construction, both the Mercedes-AMG GT and the GT S are quite a bit lighter than the also aluminum-based Aston Martin V8 Vantage or the Jaguar F-Type Coupe.

Gallery  Mercedes-AMG GT




JAGUAR F-TYPE COUPE




Jaguar F-Type AWD Coupe
Also based on a shortened platform from an older model – in this case, the XK – the Jaguar F-Type Coupe was launched about a year from its open-top brother. Unlike most of its rivals, the F-Type is also available with a six-cylinder in the base model. A supercharged, 3.0-liter V-6 with 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque is available in the regular F-Type, while the same engine delivers 375 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque in the F-Type S Coupe.
Those wanting more oomph can opt for a supercharged, 5.0-liter V-8 in the F-Type R Coupe, where it delivers 542 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque through either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission. As of the 2015 model year and only with with the eight-speed auto, the F-Type S and F-Type R can also be had with all-wheel-drive.

Gallery  Jaguar F-Type AWD Coupe




Conclusion




Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
The Bentley EXP Speed 6 pretty much came out of the blue at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, with the British carmaker being very good at keeping the lid on the model prior to the show. That said, judging by its design and most of its features, the model looks almost ready for a showroom, with Bentley even accepting customer feedback on itsofficial website.
Smaller, sportier and slightly less expensive than the Continental GT, a production version of the model sounds like a pretty good addition to the Bentley lineup, especially after the lineup will be fattened by the Bentayga SUV at the end of 2015. The only mystery revolving around it is the powertrain, which would need to consist of a six-cylinder to keep the nomenclature tradition going. Then again, Bentley could also use the Audi V-8 from the Conti GT, change the car’s name into Speed 8 and call it a day.
LOVE IT
  • 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.

Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
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 – 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 – but the potential Bentley sports car – a bold vision for a brand with a bold future.”
Contemporary Design, Yet Unmistakably Bentley
Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
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 – 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 – lean, toned and exquisitely precise, designed around new evolutions of the design elements that unite all Bentleys – past, present and future.
Bentley’s Most Performance-Orientated Luxury Cabin
Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
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.

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