Geneva Motor Show powers up with a Philippe Starck and Bentley collaboration
Bentley kicks off this year’s Geneva Motor Show with the launch of the very first high luxury hybrid. By kitting out the Bentayga SUV with an advanced electric motor – and adding a charging dock designed by one-time Wallpaper* Guest Editor Phillippe Starck – the British manufacturer has stolen a march over the competition.
The ultra-low emission vehicle pairs a petrol V6 with battery power, giving a 50km electric only range as well as assisting the marque’s trademark bottomless reserves of power.
Tipped to be launched in the second half of 2018, the new variant was showcased alongside another luxury accessory, the Philippe Starck-designed Power Dock. Combining pressed eco-linen, resin and aluminium, the Bentley by Starck Power Dock is a bold piece of domestic sculpture designed for use in conjunction with a new smartphone app. If you’re lucky enough to have an industrial power supply at home, charge time is reduced to just 2.5 hours.
For now the Bentayga stands alone in the luxury SUV field, with an options list and bespoke options that run rings (and cost considerably more) than its rivals. As Bentley’s first hybrid, it marks the start of a new focus for the company, which hopes to bring increased electrification to all its models in the years to come.
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Bentley website
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
Southern Arizona sets the scene for a corking vineyard experience at Los Milics
Los Milics winery, designed by Chen + Suchart Studio, is set among vines at the foothills of the Mustang Mountains
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Spanish design studio Masquespacio's new HQ is a historical mansion bursting with colour
Design studio Masquespacio presents its new home and office, a bold and unique space in a beautifully refurbished historic villa near Valencia
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
Surreal, uncanny, seductive: step into Graham Little’s world
Scottish artist Graham Little presents his first US retrospective at The FLAG Art Foundation in New York
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Zoute Grand Prix is a car fest like no other at a pristine Belgian beachside town
Amy Serafin takes to the well-heeled streets of Knokke-Heist to experience the Zoute Grand Prix, its annual cavalcade of classic car-related events, from a rally to an auction
By Amy Serafin Published
-
Bentley goes big with an extended, Mulliner-trimmed version of its Bentayga SUV
The Bentley Bentayga EWB Mulliner is the luxury manufacturer’s new flagship, a high-riding limousine that marks a sea-change in how we perceive the very best of an automotive brand
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Bentley Blower Jr shrinks and electrifies the stately form of a racing classic
The Little Car Company’s latest project takes an interwar icon and transforms it into an electric city car for the modern rake
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Bentley’s Mulliner division enters a purple patch with the Batur
Just 18 examples of the new Bentley Batur will be built for customers, designed as the ultimate platform for creative specifications and a showcase for in-car craft and design
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Flexjet takes to the skies with Bentley
Flexjet brings exclusive Bentley interiors to its new Gulfstream G650 jet and Sikorsky S-76 helicopter, in the smoothest of transfers
By Jessica Klingelfuss Published
-
Peugeot’s sparky 308 gets hybrid power and handsome lines
The Peugeot 308 proves that mass-market design needn’t be dull, blending hybrid power with sharp lines and excellent detailing
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
BMW Motorrad brings out the big guns for its newest cruisers
BMW Motorrad R 18 Bagger and Transcontinental set the tone for high-voltage cruising with a brand collaboration with speaker specialist Marshall
By George Chapman Last updated
-
Dacia’s new Manifesto concept is a true outdoor utility vehicle
Utilitarian auto brand Dacia sets a bold new agenda with its Manifesto, a concept car pitched at the active outdoor market
By Jonathan Bell Last updated