Bentley Boss Says Company Chose SUV over a Sports Car to Avoid Confrontation with Porsche’s 911

A lot of digital ink has been devoted lately to both Bentley's decision to create an SUV model as well as the appearance of the concept that hinted at the production model.

But did you know that the British premium brand explored numerous options for a new addition to its range before deciding on the SUV? Bentley’s CEO Wolfgang Duerheimer told Motor Trend magazine that his company’s designers had actually submitted three more projects.

Duerheimer admitted that one of them was a sports car smaller than the Continental GT, although he wouldn’t comment on what the other two models were.

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Bentley Admits that it's Planning a Redesign for the EXP 9 F SUV Concept

The most talked about concept model at this year's edition of the Geneva Motor Show was without any doubt, the Bentley EXP 9 F SUV, but not for the reasons the British automaker's top brass would have hoped for.

You see, the firm's first attempt at designing an SUV model was received with harsh criticism about its styling even before the general public had the chance to see the concept in real life.

In fact, the disapproval rate was so widespread that during the press days, an unnamed Bentley source told British publication "What Car" that Exp 9 F's styling is "a little heavy handed" and that "an alternative design is in progress".

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Bentley Explains the Design of its New EXP 9 F SUV Concept

Contrary to popular belief, the design inspiration for Bentley's EXP 9 F SUV concept that is currently enjoying its world premiere at the ongoing Geneva Motor Show did not come from the London Taxi, or so the British firm's people tell us.

If you'd like to hear Bentley's designers explain themselves, you can do so by the following the break to watch the video.

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First-Ever Bentley SUV Rolls into the 2012 Geneva Motor Show

W.O. Bentley insisted that any car made by the company that bore his name should be “a good car, a fast car, and the best in its class”. This led to the creation, in 1919, of the first EXP (short for Experimental) concept that “embody the spirit of innovation that has guided the company ever since”.

Though we doubt that Bentley's founder had an SUV in mind, the British luxury carmaker, which now belongs to the VW Group's empire, has revealed exactly that in the form of the EXP 9 F that made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show today.

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Boo! It's the New Bentley EXP 9 F Super Luxurious SUV Concept

No one was expecting a styling miracle from Bentley when the company revealed its intentions to build an over-the-top SUV, but the awkwardly named EXP 9 F study that will be displayed at the Geneva Motor Show might be seen as some as having an even more awkward looking appearance.

The full-size luxury SUV concept, which looks very close to production in these images, infuses Bentley's traditional styling cues such as the Mulsanne's bold fascia and the heavily arched rear fenders to a shape that closely resembles the Range Rover. Of course, this isn't something you'll hear from Bentley's design team.

"The EXP 9 F had to represent the absolute pinnacle of the sport utility sector, setting a new benchmark for this type of vehicle," says Dirk van Braeckel, Director of Design at Bentley. "The style had to reflect Bentley’s sporting character despite its radically different package and purpose together with sculptured, flowing surfaces in keeping with the Bentley tradition.”

As you would expect, the prototype's interior, which features a 4+1 seating layout with a rear armrest lifting to reveal a cooled compartment for champagne and glasses, is sumptuous, to say the least.

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Bentley will Debut New Luxury SUV Concept at the Geneva Motor Show

What started out as a rumor and then later confirmed as part of Bentley's future product plans will be revealed in the flesh as a very close to production concept model at this week's 82nd Geneva International Auto Show.

We're talking, of course, about Bentley's upcoming SUV, which aspires to become the world's most luxurious and expensive crossover model.

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