BEIJING MOTOR SHOW: Bentley EXP 9 F SUV closer to production

If the Range Rover established then maintained its position as the crown prince of off-road vehicles, then Bentley is aiming at monarch status with its EXP 9 F concept first unveiled at the Geneva motor show, and now to be seen at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show.

And, legitimising speculation about the majestic off-roader's production status, the company used the Beijing appearance to confirm that a 373kW, 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, a 6.0-litre W12 and a V6 plug-in hybrid are "under consideration."

The 4.0-litre V8 and 6.0-litre W12 are established Bentley identities (the show car is fitted with the blitzkrieg eight-speed auto W12 engine), while the plug-in hybrid establishes Bentley as yet another high-end car-maker to stride forcefully along a path it once indicated was not on its agenda.

The German-owned British marque isn’t saying a lot about the hybrid EXP 9 F, except to indicate that it will have a full-electric range of 30km, 130g/km CO2 emissions and be capable of zero to 100km/h acceleration in less than 5.0 seconds.

The EXP 9 F has attracted a lot of comment as a result of its Geneva unveiling, much of it negative due to the vehicle's styling and its attempts at imbuing a distinctively Bentley flavour. Bentley sees it a little differently than the media, however.

"Since we first showed EXP 9 F at Geneva, the response has been overwhelming. Everyone seems to agree that an SUV is a natural fit for Bentley," said Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive, Bentley Motors.

"An exciting range of drivetrain options including a hybrid V6 are under active consideration but one thing is for sure, any Bentley SUV would offer the thunderous performance for which the marque is renowned."

The company claims its car will be equally at home "at an opera gala performance, on the sand dunes and the overtaking lane of the autobahn." The Bentley SUV's seating is arranged in "four plus one" configuration, with a rear armrest sitting between two electrically operated 'Captain’s chairs'.

The two-piece tailgate may be used as a viewing bench or picnic table while enjoying a day at the races, says the British company. "Bespoke picnic hampers are stowed neatly to either side of the load space when not in use, but are located on rails for easy access.

"An awning extends over the tailgate to protect those seated there; two umbrellas fit into stowage compartments in the rear luggage area for when the rain clouds sweep in. These compartments are heated for rapid drying of wet umbrellas."

The larger than life Bentley concept comes as numerous top-end car-makers, including Lamborghini and Maserati, express a serious interest in over-the-top SUVs while watching the sales success being enjoyed by the likes of Porsche, BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

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