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Bentley gives its EV an orchestra instead of a V8
Bentley says its first production EV, the Torcal, will use live-recorded drums, viola, and bass guitar instead of synthetic engine noise.
Image: iXBT
Bentley has built an orchestral sound system for its first production EV, the Torcal, replacing the familiar drama of a V8 with a composition performed by live musicians.
According to the company, the emotional pull of a V8 comes less from its mechanical tone than from its rhythm. To test that idea, Bentley engineers recorded a real V8 engine in a studio and analyzed its characteristics. They then staged an experiment with directional speakers playing back the V8 on one side and a live drummer on the other.
As listeners moved between the two sound sources, Bentley said the rhythm, energy, and signature accents felt similar. The company also found that small performance imperfections added a more human quality to the sound.
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The result is Bentley Dynamic Symphony, a musical backing track for the Torcal’s electric powertrain. Bentley says it is not synthetic engine noise and not an amplified electric motor sound. Instead, it is designed to evoke the feel of the brand’s historic engines, including cars from the 1930s and the well-known 6.75-liter V8, without directly copying them.
The sound changes with the driver’s inputs, growing stronger under acceleration and shifting with the car’s speed.
The Torcal will be Bentley’s first production electric vehicle and the electric replacement for the Bentayga, the brand’s most popular model. Bentley has not disclosed pricing, but said it will be comparable to the Bentayga, which currently starts at more than £150,000. That sets it apart from most EV makers, which typically address the lack of conventional engine sound with synthetic effects that imitate a V8 roar.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via iXBT
