Bentley EXP 15 Concept

 Bentley Motors presented its latest luxury vision concept inside its brand-new design studio, which also officially opens its doors for the first time this week. EXP 15 represents Bentley's design vision for the future, by taking inspiration from its early 20th century Grand Tourer heritage and interpreting it in a thoroughly modern 21st century way.

Accordingly, the five-metre-plus full-size physical exterior model has an iconic upright grille, long 'endless' bonnet and rearward cabin reminiscent of the 1930 Bentley Speed Six Gurney Nutting Sportsman coupe, often known as the "Blue Train". This famous Bentley from history is associated with a race between Woolf Barnato - then company chairman and renowned "Bentley Boy" - and a luxury express train (Le Train Bleu) from Cannes in the south of France to Calais in the north, arriving in London before the train had even got to Calais. But in combination with ultra-modern exterior surfacing, high-tech lighting details and active aerodynamic elements, the 2025 concept roots itself firmly in the now and future. While not intended for production or indeed sale, EXP 15 also provides hints to the design of future Bentleys including the brand's first fully electric car due soon.

Within its cabin, the design approach is just as forward-thinking. Created using virtual reality (VR) software to enable customers to see and experience a wider variety of possible configurations, it mixes familiar contemporary physical car interior features like luxury seating, wing-shaped dashboard, steering wheel, dials and switches with spellbindingly futuristic digital elements that can be brought to the fore or melt away into the background as driver mood or functional need requires.

The package is unusual for featuring three seats and three doors - rather than four or five of both - to afford greater luxury in transit for the special few and includes innovative in-cabin storage for treasured pets and/or hand luggage as well. When stationary even the boot space can take on a dual role as upmarket picnic seating.

Material choices are meticulous throughout and feature a mix of the traditional, artisanal and sustainable, combined with the ultra-modern, technical and futuristic. For example, a 100 per cent wool textile by Fox Brothers - the inventors of thorn-proof cloth and English weavers of some 250 years' standing - is used in a damson ombre effect on EXP 15's interior and can be found nestling in harmony with various lightweight 3D-printed titanium finishes.

The user experience (UX) is also key to EXP 15 with the car designed to act as an intelligent and thoughtful mix of a fabulous conductor and celebrated chef all rolled into one.