Bentley is reshaping its image a bit with the introduction of the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept at the Geneva Motor Show.

There’s no doubt that Bentley can build beautiful, fast, powerful and extremely expensive automobiles. But they’re also heavy and not necessarily state-of-the-art technology. Which is why the new EXP 10 Speed 6 concept the British marque has unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show is likely to garner a lot of attention in the months ahead.

Unlike the current Speed model, the EXP 10 is a true two-seater, and it appears aimed at some of the high-line brands more traditionally associated with extreme performance, like Aston Martin, McLaren and Ferrari.

Think of the EXP 10 Speed 6 as “one vision for Bentley’s future,” suggested Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer, during a Geneva preview. But there he left things dangling, adding that, “It could be a future model line, alongside the Continental GT and redefining the pinnacle of another market sector, and the styling of the EXP 10 Speed 6 could influence the expansion of the Bentley family.”

Sadly, details were consciously left in short supply by Bentley officials during a Monday night gathering prior to the official opening of the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Nonetheless, the EXP 10 itself spoke volumes.

Details were consciously left in short supply by Bentley officials when it came to what the new EXP 10 Speed 6 can do...and if it'll be built.

The British maker has been hinting for a number of years that it wanted to expand its product portfolio. It will roll out its first luxury SUV later this year, and is looking for where to go next. One possibility is to move into a niche below the current Continental family. Another is to produce a true sports car.

One thing seems certain: Bentley will be looking to upgrade its technology. As big, beautiful and powerful as current models are, they are more than a bit out-of-date. Expect to see a focus on slashing mass if the EXP 10 finds its way into production. One possibility would be to use the new, high-end MSB architecture developed by the Volkswagen Group for some of its highest-end products.

Bentley interiors have long looked like they were lifted from Downton Abbey, the cabin of the EXP 10 Speed 6 takes things in an entirely new direction.

That’s clearly signaled by the Speed 6 designation. If that holds true to traditional Bentley lingo, it would indicate the use of a six-cylinder engine, one likely to use all sorts of high-tech tricks to deliver massive amounts of horsepower and torque.

An alternative might be to go with a version of the Audi-sourced twin-turbo V-8 used in other Bentley models. At 500 horsepower or more, it would certainly have the muscle to nudge into the 200 mph range should Bentley truly trim the mass of the new car.

Either way, the “6” is quite clearly an essential part of the car, neatly etched into the grille in a way you’ll only notice when viewing the nose from an angle.

The basic design language of the EXP 10 is immediately recognizable to Bentley fans, with the egg-crate grille, long hood and powerful rear haunches, but they’re expressed in a more modern manner, with a scooped hood, cooling ducts behind the front wheels, and distinctive new headlights that would almost certainly go LED in production – perhaps even adopt the latest laser lighting technology.

The distinctive new headlights that would almost certainly go LED in production – perhaps even adopt the latest laser lighting technology.

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And where Bentley interiors have long looked like they were lifted from a Downton Abbey drawing room, the cabin of the EXP 10 Speed 6 takes things in an entirely new direction. Of course, there are all the luxurious touches you would expect of a premium luxury car, and that means lots of hand-sewn leather and hand-hewn wood. But there are metal paddle shifter and a reconfigurable digital gauge cluster.

There’s also a tablet-sized touchscreen crowning the center stack to operate all the new features and vehicle controls.

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“Each detail has taken core Bentley interior DNA principles and moved them forwards,” noted a Bentley statement. “For example, the classic and purposeful Bentley knurled surface is a feature throughout the controls of the car, but now created using steel and copper together to create a two-metal 3D texture.”

What next? Durheimer added a little more direction during the Monday night news conference, indicating that the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 very well could be back in production form within the next three years, at a price tag of around 120,000 British pounds, or around US $185,000.

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“This is not just a new sports car concept – but the potential Bentley sports car – a bold vision for a brand with a bold future,” he declared.