Bentley says AI won't replace humans in its manufacturing

Bentley says it won't submit to artificial intelligence (AI) and fully automated manufacturing in place of human-led automaking and handcrafted vehicle components.

Speaking with CarExpert at the reveal of the brand's first electric vehicle, the Torcal SUV, senior Bentley executives said human craftsmanship and production is a core part of the brand's DNA and will always be a part of the manufacturing process.

"Yeah, it's part of the brand DNA. We never lose it, it's part of what makes Bentley, Bentley," said Martin Page, product line director for the Torcal.

"It's really important. That personal touch on every car that goes out of the factory, no question [that] stays."

"That human touch, that authenticity, that meticulous detail that AI or a robot can never really replace, I think we benefit from being a smaller manufacturer, so volumes are not in the hundreds of thousands [of units]," added T. Jon Mayer, Bentley head of design.

"So, that makes a huge difference to the way we produce cars."

The Torcal may be the brand's first-ever EV, but it continues Bentley's tradition of handmade manufacturing and debuts a number of bespoke options for the brand.

Bentley will also expand its wide palette of interior materials and textures with the Torcal, including some industry firsts.

Among these new innovations is the first application of Merino wool in an automotive interior, developed in partnership with renowned Somerset clothmaker, Fox Brothers.

It's the first wool fabric in an automotive implementation to achieve 100 per cent certification by the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) – a globally recognised program led by the Textile Exchange.

Customers can choose from six "carefully curated" colour schemes, each combining "complementary tones from the same colour family, creating depth, harmony and a contemporary sense of sophistication".

When specified, the material lines parts of the door trims, seatbacks, and even is used for the headliner.

A new 'Ombre Veneer' debuts in the Bentley individualisation catalogue with the Torcal also, created from sustainably sourced off-cuts of walnut and recycled paper.

According to Bentley "up to 1000 individually selected layers are carefully pressed together before being sliced to less than a millimetre in thickness".

The striking textured material complements the geometry of the cabin, creating "a seamless transition of tone across each surface" – says the British marque.

Further, the Mulliner coachbuilding division has also created a Sunburst Aluminium trim insert that reinterprets "engine-turned aluminium dashboards that graced Bentley models of the past".

Customers can specify and order their Bentley Torcal in specific markets from this week, with production to commence during the second quarter of 2027.

Australian timing is still to be confirmed, though CarExpert understands first deliveries are due to commence Down Under before the end of next year.

The Torcal has been designed, engineered and crafted in Great Britain, with vehicles assembled on a "cutting-edge" new production line at the company's home of Crewe near Manchester. The facility in which the Torcal will be produced is a newly restored building which dates back to 1938.

To prepare for production of the Torcal, Bentley has poured billions of pounds into its Crewe headquarters to build a "future-ready manufacturing and innovation campus with world-class production, engineering, design and quality facilities".

MORE: Explore the Bentley Torcal showroom