Electrification is the new canvas for manufacturers but it has been interesting to see how legacy carmakers have been able to adapt to this increasingly important genre. While everyone makes electric cars now, the challenge for legacy luxury carmakers has been to impart their ethos and values in the products without any engine. One clear way has been to develop an electric platform that paces the way for more technology and products that take better advantage of electrification. After all, electric cars are different from conventional gasoline cars. Therefore, it is important news that Bentley and Mercedes-AMG have announced plans for a standalone electric SUV which would be true to the brand DNA yet bring in something never seen before.
It will not be easy for both though as Bentley is known for its W12 motors which have now been confined to the history books while AMG can best be described as a powerhouse with its iconic V8 engines. These new cars will not have a V8 but instead will be developed as bespoke electric cars thanks to a new platform underpinning them. For Bentley, its first electric vehicle will come in 2026 being the ‘world’s first true Luxury Urban SUV’. It would be smaller than the Bentayga but the styling would be pure Bentley as seen here in the teaser image. To be made in its ‘dream factory’ the new generation of Bentley cars would be hybrids or fully electric cars but the new electric SUV is expected to be lither than the towering Bentayga. We expect it to be based on the same internal architecture as the upcoming Porsche Cayenne EV while it will have usable range too. The design would be somewhat within the ballpark of the Continental GT too while the performance would be like what we can expect from a Bentley.
In the same vein, AMG is busy developing its first SUV and it will be based on the all-electric AMG.EA platform. This will be a bespoke AMG SUV and will be underpinned with the values that we expect from an AMG. To be made after the GT, SL, previous GT generation, and SLS models is no small task and this new SUV would be ‘Born in Affalterbach’ which means it would be AMG first and EV second. Despite batteries taking the place of a V8, the new SUV will come with an avalanche of performance technology while the crucial noise will also be replicated to give that authentic AMG feel. You can guess by the silhouette that it will be a sporty SUV geared more towards being a performance off-roader. More details will come leading up to its 2027 launch but it is intriguing as to how these two legacy names are navigating through the electrified times that we currently live in.
