Bentley unveils 'EXP 15' concept car with future vision as new design studio
Jul 11, 2025
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Bentley's Cradle of the Design Revolution, Design Studio
Bentley Motors' new design studio is located in the Front of House, a historic building that has been completely renovated.The opening ceremony, which took place on the 7th, was attended by Frank-Steffen Walliser, chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors, as well as board members and 4,000 employees.
The Front of House, where the design studio is located, is a historic building that has existed since Bentley Motors rooted in Crewe in 1939, and is an iconic Bentley space that has welcomed VIPs including Queen Elizabeth II of England.Three floors have been newly added to the building for the relocation of the design studio, and renovating the existing building without tearing it down is the result of Bentley's principle, which focuses on sustainability as a carbon-neutral factory as well as inheriting tradition and history.
Bentley Design Studio, which has more than 50 designers, is about twice as wide as before and has been reborn as a space that provides inspiration to redefine the rules of design and create evolution while maintaining Bentley's historical identity.In the most creative environment in Bentley's history, collaboration will take place in the interior and exterior design of future models, as well as color and trim design, Mulliner Bespoke design, and user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design that are increasing in importance.
"Now that the biggest design innovation in Bentley's history is taking place, it is essential for all designer teams to make room for Bentley's future electric vehicle models in a creative and innovative environment," said Frank-Stephen, president and CEO of Bentley Motors. "We will make a big leap forward in the way we work through a space where true collaboration is possible, and integrated teamwork will serve as a springboard for successful design innovation."
EXP 15 concept car with Bentley's heritage, present and future
The EXP 15 concept car, which measures more than 5 m in length, has a straight, iconic grille, a continuously long bonnet, and a cabin placed behind it. This exterior feature is reminiscent of the 1930 Bentley Speed Six Gurney Nutting Sportsman Coupe, commonly known as the "Blue Train."
The Bentley model is known as a legendary anecdote in which Wolf Barnato, then chairman of Bentley and famous for "Bentley Boy," raced with the luxury express train "Blue Train," which ran from Canes in southern France to Calais in the north, and arrived in London before the train even reached Calais.
Despite this heritage, the EXP 15 is based now and in the future in many aspects, including modern surface treatment, advanced lighting details, and active aerodynamics. While the EXP 15 concept car is not a mass production and commercial-minded model, it offers clues about future Bentley designs, including Bentley's first pure electric vehicle, which will be born soon.
EXP 15's interior design approached the concept of future reality.Using virtual reality (VR) software, customers can see and experience various combinations directly.Traditional elements such as luxurious seats, wing-shaped dashboards, steering wheels, dials and switches are maintained, while future digital elements that appear or disappear invisible depending on the driver's mood and functional needs are applied.
Rather than a typical four- to five-seater, the EXP 15's unique interior configuration, with three seats and three doors, provides a more special luxury experience on the go for very few special passengers.The interior is equipped with an innovative storage space configuration for pets or handbags.During the stop, the trunk can also be transformed into a luxurious picnic chair.
The materials used in EXP 15 were carefully selected by combining cutting-edge technology and future-oriented elements while emphasizing traditional craftsmanship and sustainability.For example, the 100% wool fabric made by the 250-year-old British fabric manufacturer Fox Brothers was used to create a purple ombre effect on the interior of the EXP 15 and is in harmony with the lightweight titanium finish made by the 3D printing method.User experience (UX) is also a key factor, and the EXP 15's UX works intelligently and thoughtfully, combining both the qualities of a great conductor and a famous chef.
"The beauty of the EXP 15 concept car is an indicator of the direction of the market beyond the new design language," said Robin Page, head of Bentley Motors' design division. "EXP 15 was created to communicate with many customers and get inspiration, covering various segments such as the Grand Tourer, the growing SUV, and the sedan that Bentley understands well."
New Elegance Combining Classical and Modern
EXP 15 concept car presents five exterior design principles that will be applied to Bentley's future mass production models.The first is "Upright Elegance," which is the concept that the front of all Bentley models should reveal a gently curved vertical line, such as the dignity of a standing stallion.
If you look at the vehicle body from the front, you will face the second design principle, 'Iconic Grille'.This means the importance of the central grill design and vertical line, which are Bentley's unique visual structures, despite the electrified powertrain."The grille, which was a structure to breathe air into internal combustion engines in the past, has evolved into a digital art interface with the development of lighting technology, and will remain Bentley's iconic front-end design element," Robin Page added.
The third exterior design principle defined by Bentley designers is the Endless Bonnet Line, which reflects Bentley's heritage with a large engine.The bonnet line extends unbroken through the side window to the rear pillar, similar to the historic 1930 "Blue Train" Bentley.The spare space under the EXP 15 bonnet, secured with an electric powertrain, has been transformed into two elegant storage spaces, with access to two hooded panels inspired by Nutting Coupe's piano-style engine cover.
The fourth design principle, Resting Beast, is understood through the side and top silhouette.Domen Rucigaj Ben"All beautiful Bentley vehicles have rear fenders sticking out of the body, which expresses strong energy, like the hind legs of a beast," said Tlaib Motors, general manager of exterior design. "But at the same time, Bentley's overall posture should be horizontal and comfortable, without looking aggressively inclined or lazy, and the cabin and body should have an ideal ratio of 1:2 when the car is divided up and down."
The last and fifth principle of exterior design is named "Prestigious Shield" and applies to the large rear surface of the EXP 15 concept car.In traditional old Bentley vehicles, it was a loading space, but in EXP 15, it was reinterpreted as part of the tailgate, and a new Bentley emblem surrounded by diamond-patterned rear lamps is proudly positioned.
A strong figure constructed for a bold presence
The body surface treatment of the Bentley EXP 15 concept car was created by these design principles and corresponds to a trailer showing how modern Bentleyes will be shaped in the future.
General Manager Robin Page and Bentley's design team defined three key characteristics of future Bentley design.The first is "Monolithic Presence," which gives the vehicle's components a visual impression as if they were carved from a single stone.The second is the "Musical Form," which reveals potential energy like the body of an athlete who has completed training to create a tense surface.The third is Carved Precision, which reduces visual weight to give a clear, elaborate, and solid impression.
Diamond Pattern Reimagined with Next Generation Lighting and Aerodynamics Technology
The Bentley EXP 15 concept car offers a new level both functionally and aesthetically through numerous attractive details in addition to its ideal ratio and surface treatment.The front headlights are arranged in the form of four thin lines at both ends of the vehicle, with the upper two in the form of vertical lines and the lower two in the form of inward bending to reveal the corners of the vehicle.
The large front grill surrounded by headlights is divided left and right by a light strip starting under the "Winged B" emblem, and Bentley's famous diamond pattern is implemented horizontally on the grill.This is reminiscent of the historic Bentley diamond grill, but reveals modern lighting technology.
A pair of air vents located on the sides just behind the front wheels induce airflow while adding interesting visual effects on the sides.At the back of the body, a slimmer rear lamp frame wraps around a large 'honorable shield' to add aerodynamic effects, and deep lamp graphics provide another sophisticated interpretation of the diamond pattern.Furthermore, the edge of the end of the roofline is equipped with an aerodiffuser that actively controls aerodynamics.
Innovative three-seater virtual reality interiors
Designers who designed the futuristic cabins of Bentley EXP 15 concept cars were inspired by the seating numbers and functional aspects of the 1930 Speed Six Gunny Nutting Sportsman coupe, but the layout and form were reinterpreted anew.
Darren Day, general manager of interior design at Bentley Motors, explained, "The Nutting Sportsman coupe is still considered Bentley's iconic model to this day, and the car's three-seater composition, unique window line, and sleek proportion to the grand tour have greatly affected the EXP 15 design."
EXP 15 consists of three seats and three doors.The driver's side door is connected to the driver's seat and a comfortable rear seat, and the twin coach door on the other side, the retractable panoramic roof, and the passenger seat that rotates 45 degrees outward allow for a smoother and more luxurious ride.Director Darren Day added, "The door design of the EXP 15, which can be perfectly neatly and dignified, was intended to embody the same sense as The Art of Arrival implemented in the Bentley State limousine exclusively for the British royal family."
Depending on the customer's mood or needs, the passenger seat can be arranged in various forms, such as a Co-pilot mode built with the driver, a Standard mode that moves to the rear seat, or a Relax mode for rest.In Standard and Relax modes, a vast legroom is planned, and the concept car's "Concertina Floor Storage" system provides space to store footrests and secure pets or luggage.This space can be accessed without stopping or opening the trunk, maximizing storage convenience.
Bentley EXP 15 has more than just storage space even in the trunk.When you open the large rear hatch, two small seats are unfolded, and a sensuous lamp and refrigerator appear.These elements make the EXP 15's trunk a fun, practical and luxurious party space.
Interiors that combine nature, technology, physical and digital elements
EXP 15's interior defines Bentley's five interior design principles.The first "Wing Gesture" dashboard has long been a key element of Bentley's interior, embodying the Bentley Wings emblem.
The second principle, "Bold Gravitas," is to apply luxurious materials to a large enough area so that customers can see and feel them properly."Bentley has been using natural materials such as wood, metal and stone inside the vehicle, and customers can easily recognize whether familiar natural materials are real or not," Darren Day said. "Rather than styling it excessively, we designed high-quality materials to be applied to a large enough area in a way that harmonizes with the shape of the material so that customers can enjoy the beauty of wood veneers or metals."
Bentley's third interior design principle, "Cocooning Haven," emphasizes the importance of interior design that comfortably wraps around customers. Even if the EXP 15's passenger seat is in any position, the canopy-type design that starts from the left and covers the back of the seat ensures privacy.
The fourth principle, "iconic details," refers to famous elements representing Bentley interiors, such as "Bullseye" air vents or knurled switch gears, diamond quilting sheets, etc.
User experience (UX) that predicts and acts on customer needs first
The newly added Bentley's fifth interior design principle was named 'Magic Fusion'.This means that Bentley mixes physical and digital elements and, in some cases, combines them into one.
This is a concept that goes further from the 'rotating display' that goes between the infotainment screen and the beautiful dashboard according to Bentley's needs, and the entire dashboard of the EXP 15 concept car consists of a form in which a wood veneer is revealed under the screen when the screen is turned off even though it operates as a digital interface for all kinds of infotainment.The shiny clock-shaped device located at the back of the center of the screen is called a "mechanical Marvel" and can display various information such as the driving direction of the vehicle and the state of electric charging, or it can be just a beautiful centerpiece ornament.
"Many customers are tired of the fully digitized experience and miss physical machinery," Robin Page, general manager of EXP 15, said of the user experience. "EXP 15's user experience is designed to provide the most magical experience by combining physical and digital elements, as if wearing beautiful mechanical and digital watches on both wrists, respectively."
Materials and color innovations with British craftsmanship
The Bentley EXP 15's body is painted with a beautiful liquid metal satin paint called 'Pallas Gold'.The gold-colored white highlights revealed when the paint is up close were inspired by several details made of nickel material, including the grille and door handle of the historic Bentley Speed Six.
Another innovation applied to this paint is the new ultra-thin aluminum pigment, which does not degrade the sensor's recognition rate by penetrating the signal even when painted in front of the radar device.Also, the high reflectivity of this coating is the lidar It is easily detected by the system and is suitable for use in traffic environments with autonomous driving systems
The virtual reality interior of Bentley EXP 15 has four themes completed with a combination of traditional and modern materials.First, the premium Jacquard silk finish was implemented in the back of the cabin through the imagination of designers to complete the ultimate comfort. Silk supplied by Gainsborough, which was established in 1903 and has supplied fabrics to the royal family since 1980, is in perfect harmony with the new fine metal mesh material Acrylic Couture.
Acrylic couture creates a 3D lighting effect inside the dashboard through a metal mesh inserted inside the acrylic.Similarly, backlit materials are placed in other areas, such as door cards with Bentley's signature quilting pattern, adding a more futuristic atmosphere.
Andrea Jensen, general manager of Bentley Motors Color, Material, Finishing and Bespoke, explained, "You can cut the diamond pattern of the veneer, place a jacquard silk or hybrid mesh material, and create an effect called 'Active 3D quilting' through lighting."
Outside of this, 100% wool fabric from Fox Brothers, a British luxury fabric manufacturer with more than 250 years of history and inventing anti-visibility fabrics, creates a purple ombre effect and is in harmony with the EXP 15's 3D printed titanium trim finish.Through the selection of sustainable materials and precise 3D printing production, these metal details contribute not only to the weight reduction of the vehicle but also to the reduction of waste in the production process.
Performance and technology for sophisticated and sustainable 21st century grand tourists
Despite its dramatic design concept, the Bentley EXP 15 concept car is designed with sustainable and effortless performance suitable for 21st century grand tourers in mind. The EXP 15 is equipped with a pure electric four-wheel-drive powertrain, and has a high charging speed that Bentley customers expect along with long mileage.However, as it is a design concept, specific technical specifications or information on the platform are not provided.
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The Bentley EXP 15 concept car was inspired by the 1930 Speed Six, but it is not "retro" or a return to the past, and has a different direction in appearance.Nor is it a preview of Bentley's pure electricity-producing model to be unveiled in 2026.However, subtle design elements related to the new vehicle are emphasized on the exterior of the concept car, and the interior contains digital and technological ideas that can be implemented in the long term.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
