Which of Volkswagen Group’s portfolio of luxury brands has the best shot at weathering the EV transition seamlessly?

Two years ago, I might have said Porsche. The automaker from Zuffenhausen had a clear roadmap, compelling products, and the best brand cachet (and profit margins) in the business. Now, with three EV launches behind it and the delayed 718 sports car still on the horizon, those lofty ambitions haven’t panned out.

Audi, meanwhile, offers multiple mid-pack contenders, but nothing that truly stands out. And Lamborghini is punting EV development into the next decade, citing "close to zero" customer interest.

That leaves one brand: Bentley. And after seeing its first EV in person, the new Torcal, Bentley could have the best shot of convincing buyers to ditch the gas pump than any of VW Group’s other brands.

The Bentley Torcal is a mid-size SUV that shares its platform with the Porsche Cayenne Electric. It starts at a steep £165,000 (roughly $225,000)—roughly the same as a Bentayga before options.

The Torcal’s specs are impressive, but it doesn’t chase numbers outright. The standard car packs around 810 horsepower, while the £200,000 ($270,000) S model gets 876. They’ll accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.4 and 2.9 seconds, respectively.

Range is an ample but not class-leading 375 miles on the WLTP cycle, and Bentley feels comfortable that it will achieve 300-plus miles on the EPA test. The Torcal’s charging performance is impressive, as Bentley claims a 10-80 percent charge happens in just 16 minutes on a capable-enough DC fast charger.

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