Bentley’s V8 Engine Turns 60 Years Old

A number of automakers are preparing for an all-electric future, but the V8 engine has stood the test of time. That’s particularly true of Bentley’s V8 which is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Billed as the “world’s longest-serving V8,” the engine traces its origins to the 1950’s when Bentley was looking to replace the six-cylinder engine used in the Mark VI, R-Type and S1.

This task fell to senior engine designer Jack Phillips, who was told the new engine had to be at least 50% more powerful the six-cylinder while also not being any larger or heavier. He decided to go with a V8 and the engine was built in just 18 months.

Also Read: Bentley Mulsanne Feels The Need For Speed

Following completion of the engine, it debuted in the 1959 Bentley S2. Featuring a displacement of 6.2-liters, the V8 was 30 lbs (13.6 kg) lighter than the previous six-cylinder engine and offered significantly more power.

The engine was updated over the years, with the first revisions coming in 1965. At this time, the engine was redesigned for improved performance and smaller dimensions which would enable it to fit under the hood of the Bentley T-Series.

In 1971, the engine was updated again and its displacement grew to 6.75-liters where it remains today. During this update, engineers also increased the stroke from 3.6 to 3.9 inches to deliver even more toque.

Additional updates followed in 1980 for the launch of the first-generation Mulsanne. These updates focused on emissions and safety, and included the installation of a “collapsible water pump.”

A more notable update arrived with the launch of the Mulsanne Turbo. The model was outfitted with a single turbocharger and become the first forced-induction car since the so-called Blower Bentleys of the 1920s. This would eventually give way to a twin-turbo setup which would see the engine produce more than 500 hp (373 kW / 507 PS) and 737 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque.

Fast forward to today and the current twin-turbo 6.75-liter V8 takes 15 hours to build. However, it offers plenty of performance as the engine develops 530 hp (395 kW / 537 PS) and 811 lb-ft (1,100 Nm) of torque in the Mulsanne Speed. This enables the ultra-luxury sedan to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 4.8 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 190 mph (305 km/h).

According to Bentley’s engineering boss, Dr Werner Tietz, “The original V8 was designed to deliver a step-change in performance, along with smoothness, reliability and refinement. The engine was tested over hundreds of thousands of miles in the toughest conditions, as well as at full throttle for 500 hours. The success of Bentley’s acclaimed 6.75-liter V8 today in the Mulsanne owes much to that ethos.”