- The new 740 hp, hybrid-powered twin-turbo V8 replaces the 6.0-liter W12
- Bentley says the new hybrid powertrain will provide 50 miles of electric range
- In the next few months, in addition to the W12, non-hybrid V8 engines will also be phased out
We’ll be wearing our black armbands this summer as the final example of Bentley’s 6.0-litre W12 engine is sandwiched between two shock towers. But the good news is that the British luxury brand is replacing it with a hybrid V8 that makes even more power.
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Bentley announced its Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain, which will soon be installed in all three model lines: Bentayga SUV, Continental Coupe and Convertible, and Flying Spur Sedan. The release was light on details, but you can bet it’s another version of the VW Group’s plug-in hybrid twin-turbo V8 found in machines like the Porsche Cayenne and the new Lamborghini Urus SE is installed.
Related: Mulliner’s Bentley Batur Cabriolet is an ode to the W12
According to Bentley, it produces a whopping 740 PS (750 hp), making it the most powerful engine ever installed in a Bentley production road car, and 90 PS (91 hp) more powerful than the old W12. Sounds pretty tasty too, considering what we can hear in this video clip of the engine revving.
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Although we don’t have an exact torque figure yet, the brand has confirmed that it will be a “four-digit” figure, meaning it will be at least 1,000 Nm (738 lb-ft). Bentley also promises that the engine’s peak torque will be available over a wider speed range than the W12.
More details, presumably including battery size, will be released in the coming weeks. While Bentley says the PHEV powertrain will enable an electric range of 50 miles (80 km) – it hasn’t specified which model this applies to. It could be the relatively light (but still heavy) Continental, as Lamborghini only claims a range of 37 miles (60 km) for the new Urus hybrid.
You still have a few months to snag a W12-powered Bentley or a non-hybrid V8 model from the brand’s dealer network, but after that support is all electric. However, not with full electrical power. Bentley recently announced that it is postponing its electric car plans in response to slowing demand for electric cars across the industry.
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