Bentley Motors has unveiled the Torcal, its first fully electric car, marking a significant milestone in the British luxury marque’s 107-year history and placing it in direct competition with Ferrari’s recently launched electric model, the Luce.

The Torcal was revealed at an event in London on Wednesday evening and becomes Bentley’s fourth model, joining the Continental GT, Flying Spur and Bentayga. Designed and engineered at the company’s Crewe facility in northwest England, it offers a range of up to 600 kilometres and can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in under three seconds. Its starting price of £173,000 (roughly $229,000) positions it well below Ferrari’s Luce, which carries a price tag of 550,000 euros.

The timing carries some significance. The Torcal arrives just three months after Ferrari’s polarising debut of the Luce, a five-seater that represented a sharp departure from the Italian brand’s traditional sports car aesthetic and drew considerable criticism for its design. Bentley’s chief executive, Frank-Steffen Walliser, indicated the company had not adjusted its development path in response, noting that the car industry operates on multi-year cycles that make rapid pivots in reaction to a rival’s moves largely impractical.

Walliser described the Torcal as sitting at the entry level of Bentley’s pricing range and noted that early reactions from international markets had been encouraging. He added that awareness and acceptance of electric vehicle technology among wealthy buyers continues to grow, with Bentley’s focus throughout development remaining firmly on delivering what he characterised as a genuinely Bentley experience, spanning design, driving character and cabin soundscape.

The launch arrives at a complicated moment for electric vehicles in the luxury and performance segment. Porsche and Lamborghini have both pulled back on earlier EV ambitions amid softer-than-expected demand. Bentley however, appears to be pressing ahead, confident that its clientele is ready to make the transition without sacrificing the qualities the brand is known for.