Forget the stuffy grandfathers in tweed jackets who spent decades hand-assembling a Bentley amidst the scent of expensive tobacco. That era officially died on September 23rd. In London, the new Torcal was unveiled—the brand’s first fully electric crossover.

Engineers took the PPE platform—the one from the electric Porsche Cayenne—and scraped out all the German boredom and rationality. Instead, they stuffed in two electric motors with a combined output of 850 horsepower and a torque of 1,350 Newton-meters. To grasp the scale of this feat: it’s more power than many hypercars from the last decade. The 0–60 mph acceleration takes under three seconds. Three! Seconds! That’s faster than most people can utter the word «car-sharing.»

But the most delightful part of this story is the hypocrisy of the marketers. They swear on their mothers that they didn’t build a track weapon. Bentley never intended to turn the crossover into a hardcore monster. The emphasis is placed on the character of the thrust delivery: the response is instantaneous, but the acceleration remains smooth and predictable. Uh-huh. Do you grasp the depth of the cynicism? The car is capable of shooting out like a catapult, but it does so delicately so that the passenger doesn’t spill their morning organic mango smoothie cup. What is this «creamy acceleration»?

To finally put the old guard out of its misery, the engineers added a pneumatic suspension. Now, the ground clearance adjusts within a range of 5.5 centimeters. Can you imagine the dialogue at an aristocratic club? — Where are we going, sir? — Off-road, James. Lift the car five centimeters; I want to drive over a ditch full of cow manure.

Previously, the wealthy purchased Bentleys with a W12 engine that guzzled fuel like a barge and announced itself with a noble roar. Now, they purchase silence. Deafening, electric silence, within which resides the power of a small hydroelectric plant. While ordinary people argue about whether their battery will last them to the country house, the owner of a Torcal is contemplating whether he will finish his glass of champagne before the traffic light turns green.