I’ve seen the new Bentley Torcal in person – has Bentley gone too far?

The new Bentley Torcal is unlike anything Bentley has built before.

For starters, it’s the company’s first fully electric model. But while the electric powertrain is impressive – more on that later – it’s the design that really grabs your attention, particularly that enormous illuminated grille.

There are 76 diamond-shaped lights built into it, with each one individually fitted by hand. It’s certainly spectacular, although I’m not completely convinced it’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.

I’m considerably more convinced by the rest of the car. I love the low, sporty proportions, the muscular rear haunches and the way the lighting has been integrated into the bodywork. It’s a big car, but it looks surprisingly sleek.

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Inside, the Torcal feels exactly like you’d expect a Bentley to – just with a lot more tech.

There’s leather, aluminium, wood and even automotive-grade Merino wool, which can be optioned on the seats and headliner. Bentley has put an extraordinary amount of effort into the details, from knurled-metal switches to bespoke stitching and hand-finished wood veneers.

Even the sounds have been carefully created. The indicator noise is based on a leather hammer tapping against a piece of leather, while the Sport-mode sound comes from a recording of an orchestral drummer, creating an artificial performance sound.

It’s all gloriously over the top.

The Torcal is full of unusual features, too.

For instance, the digital driver’s display uses footage of light refracting through glass to create some of its animations, while the cabin lighting constantly changes and glistens as you move around.

There’s a large curved touchscreen, which I found to be easy to use. Bentley has sensibly retained physical controls for some of the important functions such as the fan speed and the temperature.

There’s plenty of room inside. The rear seats are particularly spacious and comfortable, with lots of legroom and under-thigh support.

The boot offers 460 litres of space, although there are a few compromises, including nowhere particularly obvious to store the load cover.

Of course, this is still a Bentley, so the numbers are suitably ridiculous.

The Torcal produces 888hp and 1,350Nm of torque, which is enough for 0-60mph in just 2.9 seconds with launch control. It has a claimed top speed of 162mph and a 113kWh battery delivering around 370 miles of range. It also uses an 800V electrical system for rapid charging.

The downside? It weighs around 2,795kg. That’s enormous – even by Bentley standards.

As for the starting price? You’re looking at £170,000.

After seeing the Torcal in person, I think the design works better than it initially looks in photographs.

I particularly like the lower, sportier stance and the rear end, while the interior is a brilliant combination of traditional Bentley craftsmanship and modern technology.

But I’m still undecided about that grille.

It’s certainly memorable, and there’s no doubt Bentley has created something distinctive. Whether it’s a stroke of genius or simply too much bling is going to come down to personal taste.

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