MONTEREY, Calif.—Last week, we brought news of the Bentley Torcal, a new electric vehicle that the luxury automaker has been cooking up at its HQ in Crewe, England. The company wants to attract new customers with its first battery EV, part of a plan to make sustainability as much a part of the brand’s character as its high-end fit and finish. W12 engines have given way to V8 plug-in hybrid power, and the new Continental GT is all the better for it.
But around the same time as Ars got its first experience of that new PHEV two-door on a rather wet Spanish racetrack, some of Bentley’s boffins were wondering what might happen if you also built one without the hybrid stuff.
Or all-wheel drive—something that has been a characteristic of every new road-going Bentley since the turn of the century. That would certainly cut the curb weight. So, too, would leaving out the rear seats. That sort of idea leads down a well-trodden path for some OEMs, and Porsche in particular is famous for making stripped-out road cars inspired by its race cars and making money from them, too.
Tesla’s Cybercab has been deployed, and it’s already under investigation
September 5, 2026
The weird and wonderful headphones of CanJam 2026
September 5, 2026
iQOO போட்டான் பாரு.. 8400mAh பேட்டரி.. 100W சார்ஜிங்.. AMOLED டிஸ்பிளே.. 50MP கேமரா.. எந்த மாடல்?
September 5, 2026
OpenAI admits to German wiki ‘incident’
September 5, 2026
ஆர்டர் பிச்சிக்குது.. ரூ.1,300 ஆஃபர் ரேட்ல 7200mAh பேட்டரி.. 44W ஃபாஸ்ட் சார்ஜிங்.. 50MP கேமரா.. எந்த மாடல்?
September 5, 2026
Robotaxis enter their villain era
September 5, 2026
Shafali scripts history, becomes fastest and youngest to reach 3,000 T20I runs
September 5, 2026
Sachin Pilot In. Bhupesh Baghel Out. Why Punjab Congress Change Was Imminent
September 5, 2026