Bentley Finally Takes Inspiration From The Blue Train With Radical EXP 15 Concept Debuting New Design Language

For years and years I have been wanting Bentley to make a car with styling inspired by the 1930 Speed Six Gurney Nutting Sportsman Coupe, better known as the Blue Train. It was named after a race from Cannes to Calais that saw automobiles compete against the Le Train Bleu luxury train, which Bentley chairman and Le Mans winner Woolf Barnato won in 1930 in a four-door Speed Six. He subsequently commissioned the Gurney Nutting coupe, which had a fantastically long hood and low fastback roofline that looked like nothing else on the road, and like no Bentley that came after it.

Now Bentley has gone and made my wishes come true with a new electric concept car called the EXP 15 that was created by the brand’s newly opened design studio at its headquarters, with the Blue Train serving as stimulation for the design team’s creativity. Though its roofline and profile are Blue Train–esque, the EXP 15 is not at all retro, looking wholly modern and totally radical compared to Bentleys of the past however many decades. Bentley says that while the EXP 15 doesn’t directly preview a new model, it’s a look into future styling themes and ideas, including some that will be found on the compact electric SUV that Bentley will reveal next year.

Bentley says there are five exterior design principles for its future models: Upright Elegance, where the front has a gently curved vertical line “akin to the upper body of a thoroughbred horse;” Iconic Grille, which is self-explanatory; Endless Bonnet Line, an unbroken line running from the nose under the side windows all the way back to the rear pillar; Resting Beast, the way the muscular rear haunches are akin to a big cat ready to pounce, and the overall relaxed stance; and Prestigious Shield, a large, clean surface at the rear end inspired by the luggage section of the Blue Train.

Bentley

Director of design Robin Page says the EXP 15 isn’t just a preview of Bentley’s next-gen design language, but an exploration of where the market is going in terms of body style. “It’s clear that SUVs are a growing segment and we understand the GT market, but the trickiest segment is the sedan because it’s changing. Some customers want a classic three-box sedan shape, others a one-box design, and others again something more elevated. So this was a chance for us to talk to people and get a feeling.” The EXP 15’s fastback look and raised stance is definitely new for Bentley, and the sort of genre-bending crossover that is proving to be increasingly popular.

The centerpiece of the EXP 15’s front end is its grille, which isn’t an actual grille. The pattern is made up of repeating three-dimensional illuminated arrows that create a diamond-like effect on the body color panel, which itself sits in front of a silver panel where those crystal lights are actually found. The whole grille is framed by a light strip, and there’s an illuminated center bar. We’ve already seen the new Winged B logo that will be found on all new Bentleys, but the EXP 15 also features a new interpretation of the deployable hood ornament, which on the new concept looks more dynamic. “Now with light technology changing we have an opportunity to create a piece of digital art,” says Page, “so the grille stays as our iconic front.”

Bentley

Framing the grille are the very un-Bentley headlights. These thin LED strips are slightly kicked downward at the bottom, and the segmented design takes after the internals of 1930’s lights. The hood has a prominent power dome design, and there are two separate panels that open to reveal storage space, in the same way the Speed Six’s split hood was hinged. 

Functional vents behind the front wheel arches channel airflow and house more lights. Instead of having SUV-like body cladding or tacked on fender flares, the wheel arches have subtle lines framing them, appearing to add width without actually doing so. There is some angular black trim along the lower body, but it’s not too fussy. The surfacing along the sides is really lovely, especially at the rear haunch that certainly looks very Bentley, and I just adore the roofline. It’s not really a coupe, not really a hatchback, a bit more intense than other fastbacks. Would you call it a shooting brake? I might.

Bentley doesn’t say how large the EXP 15’s wheels are, but they don’t look overly huge, filling the wheel arches well. Despite the EXP 15 being a crossover, I appreciate how fairly low to the ground it still is, and how little wheel gap and suspension height there is. The front overhang is fairly short and the dash-to-axle ratio is pretty good, and the EXP 15’s overall proportions are plenty dramatic. We don’t have full dimensions or specs, but Bentley says the EXP 15 is over 16 feet long, so it’s a bit shorter than a Bentayga or Flying Spur.

The rear end is probably the least Bentley-like element of the design. That trapezoidal “shield” panel is surrounded by LED taillights that protrude from the bodywork to increase aerodynamics, with a subtle diamond pattern that reflects onto the body. There’s a pair of active spoilers sit at the top of the roof, and the diffusers has active elements as well.

Bentley painted the EXP 15 in a new satin paint called Pallas Gold, which has golden white highlights and takes inspiration from the nickel trim parts of the Speed Six. Its ultra-thin aluminum pigment allows the paint to be used over safety devices like radar sensors, which can still transmit through the paint without losing signal quality. That’s a pretty big breakthrough, as basically all new cars’ sensors have to be prominently placed and not covered by anything, typically found black panels that can break up a car’s design. Bentley says the paint’s highly reflective coating also makes it easier to detect by other cars’ Lidar sensors.

Also untraditional is the EXP 15’s door and seat layout. The driver’s side of the car is the right side, where there’s only one normal door for access to the driver’s seat. On the left side of the car is a pair of doors, with the rear door being a rear-hinged coach door, and a section of the glass roof opens for easier access. The split hatchback opens to reveal a large cargo area that features deployable seats, a fridge and space to put your champagne, and even an art deco–style lamp.

Bentley

As with the original Blue Train, the EXP 15 is a three-seater. The driver’s seat is the only fixed front seat, while there are two separate bucket seats in the rear. The passenger-side seat can be moved to different positions: next to the driver, slid all the way back, or reclined in a “relax” mode. When that seat is slid back, the Concertina Floor Storage system lets the footwell footrests fold into the floor to create more luggage space, or a dedicated space for a fancy dog bed to be strapped in. The passenger seat can also swivel outward by 45 degrees for easier ingress and egress.

The dashboard retains the “wing gesture” style that Bentley has used for years now, but there are all sorts of new flourishes and details. Bentley says the EXP 15’s interior uses a “Magical Fusion” principle, where there’s tons of futuristic technology that is melded seamlessly with physical elements. The large center screen and passenger-side screen can be switched off to reveal a wood veneer panel, and behind the center screen is a clock-like device that Bentley calls the “Mechanical Marvel.” Made up of a bunch of illuminated fingers, this thing can indicate things like state of charge or direction, or just be “a delightful centerpiece to gaze upon.” The steering wheel has a new design for its light control and gear selector stalks, and even the window switches have knurled finishes.

Bentley

Says Page, “We think people are going to get fed up with a fully digital experience and are pining for physical mechanical elements too. By combining the two, you can get the best of both worlds. It’s almost like wearing a beautiful mechanical watch on one wrist and a digital watch on the other. Imagine the magical experience you would get if mechanical and digital are overlayed together.”

The rear seats are surrounded by cocooning panels that give privacy, and rear passengers get their own screen and set of knobs and controls, with a second one of those watch-like marvels set into the center console. Some of the elements, like the lamp and fridge, can slide from the passenger compartment back into the cargo area for the tailgating setup.

Bentley

A fine silk jacquard textile was created by one of the UK’s oldest mills, and there is a wool textile with an ombre effect. 3D-printed titanium elements reduce weight and production waste, and a fine woven metal mesh housed in acrylic called “Acrylic Couture” creates radiant 3D effects in the dashboard. The grille’s light pattern is echoed on the door panels and the surround of the rear seats, created by cutting the diamond pattern out of the veneer, covering it with the silk or mesh and lighting it up, a technique Bentley calls the “active 3D quilt.” The mix of materials and illuminated elements in the EXP 15 looks really wonderful, and none of it seems that far-fetched.