Bentley Announced Future Concepts Design Finalists

Four of the eighteen Royal College of Art (RCA) students have been shortlisted to refine their designs together with Bentley’s team, including Head of Exterior Design Raul Pires who played a key role designing the company’s new Mulsanne flagship. During the next few days the four designers will be working to refine their work before meeting with Raul Pires and Bentley’s design chief Dirk van Braeckel for the final review.

“We’ve had invaluable support from Exa and their PowerFLOW software which was used to create cars like the Bentley Continental Supersports,” Professor Dale Harrow, Head of Vehicle Design at the RCA, said in a release. “The students realise the importance of optimising the aerodynamic qualities of their designs and Exa’s technology allows each car to evolve constantly. Crucially, our young team has been working with top designers like Raul, learning how to combine great creativity with sound engineering solutions.”

“These four finalists have captured the essence of our brand, recognizing what makes a Bentley instantly recognizable on the road. Just as importantly, they’ve embraced Exa’s leading-edge technology and grasped that excellent design should always seek to enhance a car’s handling and performance, as well as optimizing its environmental credentials,” added Raul Pires.

The four Bentley/Exa finalists are Bora Kim, David Seesing, Marten Wallgren and Mikka Heikkinen. Bora has created a Bentley which enables the owner to easily select their preferred engine for any given journey, while Marten has created a futuristic version of the Bentley Continental GT.

David Seesing combined radical design with impressive aerodynamics, hoping to be the third generation of his family to work in the motor industry. Completing the line-up is Mikka Heikkinen who has created a high-performance Bentley and used his industrial design training to create a powerful, visually impactful concept vehicle.