It can’t have escaped your attention that over recent years, more and more luxury carmakers have been making SUVs. Porsche started with the Cayenne. Everybody scoffed, then it sold squillions and the rest of the world stopped laughing and started paying attention. Now among others we’ve got Maserati’s Kubang in the works, Lamborghini’s Urus and Aston Martin still pondering the return of the Lagonda concept from 2009.
And then there’s Bentley. For years it’s made very high end coupes and saloons, but at the Geneva Motor Show this year it unveiled this, the EXP 9 F concept, showcasing what a Bentley SUV could look like. It’s reasoning is simple – it’s a segment that’s showing considerable growth, especially in developing markets like China, Russia and the Middle East, and it has the infrastructure behind it – the Volkswagen Group – to make it happen.
Reaction from the internet was, shall we say, mixed when the EXP 9 F was revealed, mainly down to its looks. But since its Swiss debut, the concept has been on a world tour, visiting countries where potential customers could look at it up close and discuss the intricacies with the team behind its creation. Last month, it came to Abu Dhabi – it’s final stop before a decision is made on whether or not it’ll go into production. All signs point to yes, and Geoff Dowding, Bentley’s regional director, is very keen to see a production Bentley SUV come to the Middle East.
“The primary reason [for creating the car] was to gauge reaction, and it’s been incredibly positive,” he tells us. “There have been differing opinions about the look, but in terms of the car as a concept and as a potential future segment for Bentley to enter, there have been absolutely unanimous views that it would be the right thing to do.”
From a business angle, that’s hard to argue with. The 4×4 market globally is growing, and it’s especially prominent in the Middle East – go out onto the roads of Dubai and see how many Lexus, Porsche and Mercedes SUVs you see. It’s a part of the world where four-wheel drive comes in very handy, and there are die-hard fans of this type of car. It’s not difficult to see why Dowding expects a production Bentley to be a big hit.
I must confess to being one of the people that recoiled in horror when the EXP was unveiled at Geneva. The car looked stark, square and ugly in photos. But in Abu Dhabi, seeing it in the metal, my thoughts have softened somewhat. From a distance it’s still no looker, but up close there are some nice touches and the interior is very cool. Clad in Thunder Blue paint, the exterior lines are a clear continuation of current Bentley design. Flying Bs adorn vents at the side and it sits on monstrous multi-spoke 23-inch alloys. Design aspects took inspiration from Bentley’s current model line up, as well as English hunting. Around the headlights, and on the door handles, vents and gaps between seat headrests and seat back, is a rifling effect similar to that on a gun barrel. And on the wooden steering wheel, gear shifter and centre console-mounted glasses case, is a knurling effect like that found on shotguns.
Other features include a split tailgate, with luggage tailored to fit inside and hold picnic equipment such as a flask, glasses and cutlery. A TV screen and sun shade extend from the upper tailgate, while the lower section has seat backs that fold up.
The cabin is spacious and airy, with a panoramic sun roof and plenty of leg room. The décor mixes the traditional – lots of high-quality wooden veneers and quilted leather – with the modern in terms of flatscreens and a digital dash. One could reasonably expect that in a production version, virtually any combination of woods and leathers would be available. Some features – the rear picnic case, the sunscreen and the tailgate TV – are mere jewellery that won’t make it into production, but otherwise for a concept, the EXP looks remarkably close to what we’d expect when the decision is made to go ahead.
When? Sorry, if. Dowding catches himself from time to time to reinforce the current position that no decision on production has yet been made. But it seems a virtual given that it will be green-lit.
“Positioning and cost at this stage are to be determined,” Geoff says, “but it would be at the very top of the [SUV] segment, at a level that’s never been seen before. Personally, I think it could be the biggest selling Bentley model in the region and could have a major impact on the overall Middle Eastern business. In the GCC we will sell circa 300 cars this year, which is twice as many as last year. I suspect we could probably double that. There are 500 purchase intents in the region already, and that’s before it was shown here.
“This market segment is growing so rapidly that it’s crying out for something for people to move up into. The GT filled a hole in the market beautifully when it came out, there were people there waiting for something to spend their money on. We believe there is a demand for a high luxury, high performance highly dynamic SUV.”
It’s too early to speculate on exactly what specifications a production EXP would have, but Geoff stresses that “the features you understand about a Bentley today, about the amount of power, the performance, the craftsmanship and luxury, that’s what will feature. It absolutely has to be a Bentley.” So, expect a big, powerful V8 and probably a W12 versions as well. Off-road ability will also be important for buyers that fancy a bit of luxury dune bashing. All the current Bentley range is four-wheel drive, and it also has the might of the Volkswagen Group – and all its technology from the likes of the Touareg and Q7 – to make sure it’ll handle in the sand.
We’re expecting to see a decision from Bentley on production of the EXP 9 F before the New Year. If and when that happens, we should see produdction cars on the road in the Middle East by 2016. We expect some styling changes from the concept, but probably nothing major. There are already plenty of people here that really can’t wait.
