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.
Sketch of the ‘Bentley by Starck Power Dock’
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.
The Bentley by Starck Power Dock is a bold piece of domestic sculpture designed for use in conjunction with a new smartphone app
The ‘Bentley by Starck Power Dock’
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Bentley website
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.
-
Goldwin 0’s first-ever performance wear is body-mapped to keep you cool
The ‘Performance Capsule’ from Goldwin 0 – an experimental offshoot of Japanese technical wear label Goldwin – draws inspiration from trail running for its meticulously tested sportswear, which uses experimental ventilation techniques to help you work out in the heat
-
Shop the gloriously mad inner workings of Gary Card’s brain in London’s Soho
Set designer and artist Gary Card has taken over London's Plaster Store – expect chaos and some really good accessories
-
Venerable British car-maker AC goes OTT with the high-output, low-slung AC GT SuperSport
Pitched at all-American fans of the original AC Cobra, the GT SuperSport is a fearsome two-seat roadster with more muscle than ever before
-
Bentley beefs up its range with new hybrid options, power hikes and bolder design
Montana served up a backdrop of natural wonders in which to experience the latest nips and tucks to Bentley’s mainstay range, the Continental GT, Continental GT Convertible and Flying Spur
-
It’s big, bold and loud without a battery in sight. Meet the new Bentley Bentayga Speed
We kick up dust in the new V8-powered Bentayga Speed as Bentley brings its luxury SUV challenger to the Big Sky State
-
Wallpaper* takes the wheel of the Bentley Blower Jnr for a rich automotive experience
Hedley Studios has shrunk the mighty Bentley Blower into this all-electric, road-legal barnstormer. We take it to the streets of London
-
Bentley collaborates with fashion designer Supriya Lele to create ‘Nīla Blue’
This one-off Bentley Bentayga S showcases a new paint and interior specification created with Indian-British designer Supriya Lele
-
The new Bentley Continental GT Speed surpasses its top-ranking predecessor
High in the Alps behind the wheel of a brand new hybrid Bentley, we reflect on what it takes to make a modern supercar
-
Bentley describes the updated hybrid Flying Spur Speed as a four-door supercar
The latest version of the Bentley Flying Spur is a technological showcase and an outstanding performer
-
Bentley rolls out the latest version of its majestic grand tourer, the Continental GT Speed
Available as both coupé and convertible, the fourth generation Bentley Continental GT Speed harnesses hybrid power to become a record breaker for the brand
-
The return of the Geneva Motor Show (to Geneva) as a place for global debuts
The Geneva Motor Show is back. After 2020’s pandemic cancellation and an ‘exported’ event in Qatar in 2023, the organisers of GIMS 2024 had their work cut out to stay relevant. Here are our highlights