Posted on: Aug 26, 2012 | 16,752 reads

Bentley's SUV is Still a Go for 2015

Ugly or not, Bentley's SUV will be hitting the streets in just a few years' time.

There's no question that the Bentley EXP 9F SUV concept is a polarizing thing. First shown at the Geneva Motor Show last March, both journalists and the public made clear their displeasure at what Bentley envisioned to be their first SUV. Granted it was only a concept, it still gave a clear indication as to what a production version could look like. Last we heard, Bentley acknowledged their design debacle and stated they were sending their stylists back to the drawing boards.

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However, in a new report coming from Inside Line, Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer says that not only will the production version remain similar to the concept's design after all, but it won't be a true off-roader. Instead, it will be an SUV that "will be able to sustain the stress of off-roading driving." In other words, it'll be able to handle a small sand dune here and there, but nothing on the scale of a Range Rover. Another interesting piece of news here is that a senior Bentley interior designer admitted that a third-row seat is a definite possibility. It won't be for children, however, but for their au pair.

Bentley is aware that potential customers are extremely wealthy and often times have hired help for the kids. Set to arrive sometime in 2015, expect to see a standard bi-turbo 12-cylinder under the hood with a V8 option to follow. Regardless of the negative press, Bentley is clearly set on getting their SUV to production soon and we have little doubt they'll have a hard time selling them.