Bentley’s Electric SUV: A Symphony of Sound
Bentley hired an orchestra to solve the EV silence problem. Drums were the answer.
The team recorded a V8 in a studio, then played it back next to a live drummer. The rhythms matched. The Torcal’s soundtrack is performed by real musicians on drums, viola, and bass guitar.
July 20, 2026 – 8:58 am
Image by: Bentley
TL;DR
Bentley’s Torcal EV features a “Dynamic Symphony” performed by real musicians on drums, viola, and bass guitar. It replicates the rhythm, not the tone, of a V8 engine, and responds to driver inputs.
Bentley recorded a V8, analyzed it, and discovered that rhythm, not mechanical tone, is what makes it emotionally compelling. To test this, they set up parabolic speakers with the V8 playing on one side and a live drummer on the other. Walking between them revealed striking similarities in energy, cadence, and impact. Bentley calls this“a distinctly human quality.”
The result is a powertrain soundtrack for the upcoming electric Torcal SUV, not synthetic engine noise, but original music designed to evoke the feelings of Bentley’s historic engines without imitating any of them.
The Torcal is Bentley’s first production EV, arriving in a market where prices are rising. Pricing will be comparable to the Bentayga, starting above £150,000.
While most EV makers use synthetic sounds, Bentley is betting that a sound crafted by humans on real instruments will feel different, even if it’s not an actual engine.
Story by
Darius Popa
Technology enthusiast and intern at The Next Web, contributing to research-backed content and investigating new technologies and global events.