New compact Bentley SUV named Barnato to appear in 2027
The British automaker Bentley is preparing for the launch of a new compact crossover, which has repeatedly been caught in the lenses of spies. The model, likely to be named Barnato, is set to debut this year, but will hit the roads, including in the USA, only in the third quarter of 2027.
Key details about the upcoming novelty were shared by Mike Rocco, CEO of Bentley Americas. He confirmed that the company is already preparing an advertising campaign for this car and determining the final pricing policy.
The model, expected under the name Barnato, will likely be priced at the “lower end” of the model range.
This means the new SUV will cost somewhere around the level of the Bentley Bentayga, whose starting price reaches approximately $210,000. Thus, the Barnato is set to become the most accessible Bentley on the market.
Company’s confidence and customer reaction
Despite the general cooling of the electric vehicle market, Bentley is confident in the success of its new “urban” crossover. The company conducted extensive research and interviews with potential buyers.
80% of people who saw the model stated they would buy it.
As Rocco noted, this car will not be defined solely by its powertrain. In the management’s opinion, customers will primarily appreciate that it is a new street SUV from Bentley.
Technical basis and capabilities
More technical details about the car will become known later this year, however, it is already clear that the Barnato will be built on the shared PPE electric platform of the Volkswagen Group. This same architecture underpins the Audi A6 e-tron, Q6 e-tron, Porsche Macan Electric, and Cayenne Electric.
The latter model, the Porsche Cayenne Electric, can serve as a benchmark: it is equipped with a 113 kWh battery, capable of fast charging at 390 kW, and offers several power levels: 435, 657, and even 1139 hp in top versions.
Prices for the Cayenne Electric start from $109,000 and reach $163,000 for the Turbo version. If the Bentley Barnato indeed starts around the $210,000 mark, the difference between the German and the Briton will be approximately $50,000, highlighting its status as a more luxurious and exclusive product.
The planned launch of the Bentley Barnato on the market in 2027 indicates the brand’s strategic step towards expanding its customer base with a more compact and, relatively, affordable SUV. It also demonstrates the company’s confidence in its own brand and product, despite the challenges facing the premium electric vehicle market. The success of this model may largely depend on how successfully it manages to combine the traditional Bentley luxury and quality with the dynamics and technology of a modern electric car built on a shared platform.