- The 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 will soon no longer be offered in the Bentley Continental, or the Flying Spur.
- Order books for V8-powered models have already closed in the UK, Europe, and the Middle East.
- The Continental GT and GTC will soon get a hybrid V8 powertrain with an impressive 740 hp
Bentley is cleaning up its act and focusing on hybrid power, and that means that the un-electrified 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 will be retired from the Continental GT, Continental GTC, and the Flying Spur.
In fact, if you live in the Middle East or Europe, it’s already too late to order one of those models with a non-electrified V8. However, production of V8 models will continue until June to satisfy existing orders and some examples may still be available through dealerships. The automaker has not revealed when order books will close in the U.S. market.
More: Bentley’s W12 Replacement Is A 740 HP PHEV V8, Its Most Powerful Engine Ever
For the Continental GT and GTC, the engine will be replaced with a hybrid unit later this year. Yesterday, Bentley revealed the replacement for the W12 engine in the form of a plug-in hybrid V8 with an impressive 740 hp (551 kW / 750 PS). The new hybrid powertrain produces 90 more horses (67 kW / 91 PS) than the W12 it replaces and will offer up to 50 miles (80 km) of EV range.
Although torque figures remain a mystery, Bentley did promise that the unit will offer a four-figure number, meaning that the powertrain will churn out at least 1,000 Nm (738 lb-ft) of torque, which should make any model equipped with it quite quick.
In the Flying Spur, the new V8 hybrid powertrain will be offered alongside a V6 hybrid, which is already on sale. The unit makes 536 hp (200 kW / 544 PS) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque and is good for 25 miles (40 km) of electric range. It is not yet clear if the smaller plug-in powertrain will be offered in the Continental GT.
Although the ICE-only V8 is being dropped from two model lines, it’s not quite dead yet. Fans of unelectrified V8 engines may be relieved to learn that the option is still available in the Bentayga, for the time being.
The unassisted engine will bow out eventually, as Bentley has plans to electrify its entire lineup. Although the automaker has walked back promises that it will go all-electric by 2030, it remains committed to offering hybrids across its lineup.
