The Bentley Bentayga is already one of the most expensive and luxurious SUVs on the market but the car manufacturer is reportedly looking to create a new flagship SUV to sit above it and it might be a hybrid.

Car and Driver recently had the opportunity to speak with Bentley boss Adrian Hallmark about the company’s decision not to replace the aging Mulsanne and how this could allow it to venture into a new stratosphere of SUVs.

“In the good old days, 20 years ago, when the Arnage was on the road with the [Rolls-Royce] Silver Seraph, global four-door sales in this part of the market were about 1500 to 2000 a year combined,” Hallmark said. “Now they are less than 1000, and we are 50 percent of that.”

Read Also: Bentley Mulsanne To Be Replaced By A New Range-Topping Crossover?

With this in mind, Bentley doesn’t think it makes sense to develop a successor to the Mulsanne. However, with customer tastes shifting towards SUVs, Hallmark said the company will launch a product to fill the void left by the Mulsanne. He stopped short of confirming an SUV but indicated it would make the most economical sense.

Bentley Stonehenge SUV independent study by Ilya Razumov

“It will not be a sports car; we will not build sports cars. SUVs were 47 percent of our sales last year. If you look at the segment below us, it’s about 50 percent,” he said. “So the clear indication is that both premium-car buyers and luxury-car buyers now see SUVs as being far more attractive.”

If Bentley does indeed decide to launch an SUV to sit above the Bentayga in its range, it likely won’t arrive for quite some time. In fact, an unnamed senior company source says it will be launched after the marque’s first EV hits the market and that’s not expected to happen until 2025. This means that when the Mulsanne is retired in a few months, Bentley will have to rely on the Flying Spur to capture its four-door sales.

As for what could power the future halo SUV from Bentley, it probably won’t be an all-electric powertrain and instead, be a plug-in hybrid.

Note: Bentley Stonehenge SUV pictured here is an independent study by transportation designer Ilya Razumov

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