We Think We Know What Bentley’s First EV Will Be Called
The electric SUV, due to be revealed by year’s end, could end up being named for Woolf Barnato, an influential Bentley racer and executive from the 1920s.
By Caleb MillerPublished: Mar 18, 2026
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Bentley will unveil its first EV before the end of 2026, and we think we know what it will be called.
A trademark has been filed in the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom for \”Barnato.\”\nWoolf Barnato purchased a controlling stake in Bentley in 1925 and drove Bentleys to three consecutive Le Mans victories while he led the company.\nBentley will reveal its first electric model before the end of this year, and spy photos have confirmed that the EV will take the form of a small SUV. While Bentley has yet to reveal what the electric SUV will be called, we did some sleuthing on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website and think we found the EV’s name: \”Barnato.\”\n\nMacGregor|Getty Images\nWoolf Barnato, one of the \”Bentley Boys.\”\nThe trademark for \”Barnato\” was filed on August 20, 2025, and covers \”motor vehicles and parts and fittings therefor,\” with the filing also listing electric vehicles, electric charging cables, and charging stations for electric vehicles. This makes us fairly confident that Barnato is the name chosen for Bentley’s first EV, given that the brand has no other involvement in electric vehicles and even confirmed that it won’t launch a second EV until at least 2030.\n\nFor Sale Near You\nSee all results for new 2028 Bentley Barnato for sale near 634720\n\nBarnato is a name with important heritage for Bentley. Woolf Barnato, born in 1895, was one of the so-called \”Bentley Boys\” of the 1920s, a group of \”playboys, racers, and adventurers,\” as Bentley calls them, who brought the brand to prominence through their racing efforts. Barnato, who inherited his father’s diamond mining fortune, bought his first Bentley in 1925. A year later, when the company was mired in financial trouble, Barnato stepped in and invested enough money to take control of the company and become the new chairman.\n\nFox Photos|Getty Images\nWoolf Barnato with his Bentley Speed Six after winning the 1930 24 Hours of Le Mans.\nOn his watch, Bentley developed iconic prewar models such as the Speed Six and the supercharged Blower Bentley. Barnato was also an avid racer and won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans three times behind the wheel of a Bentley from 1928 to 1930. He also famously orchestrated a race in 1930 between a Bentley Speed Six and Le Train Bleu, a French luxury train that ran from Cannes to Calais. Barnato claimed that not only could he beat the train over that distance—a feat two other British automakers had boasted about earlier that year—but that he could even reach London before the train rolled into Calais.\n\nBarnato delivered on his promise, beating the train by four minutes, although he was fined by French authorities for the excessive speeding required for the victory. But his escapade brought prominence to the company, and Barnato honored his achievement with the Gurney Nutting Sportsman coupe, a modified Speed Six that Barnato called the \”Blue Train Special\” (later causing confusion over which car he actually raced). Intriguingly, the Gurney Nutting Sportsman coupe was pictured alongside and served as inspiration for last year’s EXP 15, an electric SUV concept that previews Bentley’s venture into EVs.\n\nView Photos\nBentley\nThe EXP 15 concept with the Speed Six Gurney Nutting Sportsman coupe.\nA trademark filing isn’t a certainty, and Bentley could end up choosing another name for its EV. In the European Union and the United Kingdom, Bentley has filed for the name Torcal, but this name has yet to be registered in the U.S., and Barnato also appears on the EU and U.K. trademark sites.\n\nBentley also still holds a trademark for \”Mulsanne,\” a name previously used for its largest sedan, but Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser said at a recent media event that the Mulsanne will not return, noting that while it has its fans and there have been requests for a new version, the Mulsanne didn’t sell well enough to justify it. Ultimately, we think Barnato is the name Bentley will go with, but we’ll know for sure later this year.”
