- Bentley said goodbye to the twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 powertrain.
- Over 100,000 examples of the 12-cylinder engine were hand-built since its debut at the 2003 Bentley Continental GT.
- The W12 has been replaced by a new V8-based PHEV powertrain with more power and better efficiency.
The last-ever Bentley W12 engine rolled off the production line at Crewe, marking the end of the 12-cylinder era for the brand.
The W12 gave way to the new “Ultra High Performance Hybrid” powertrain, which debuted in the new Continental GT Speed and will soon be applied in the updated Flying Spur and the rest of the Bentley lineup with more power and fewer emissions.
More: New Bentley Continental GT Speed Goes PHEV With 771 HP, More Tech, And A Batur-Inspired Face
According to the company, over 100,000 examples of the W12 were hand-built at the Dream Factory since the debut of the first-generation Bentley Continental GT in 2003. This gives it the title of “the most successful 12-cylinder engine of the modern era” in terms of production numbers.
The mill was essentially two narrow-angle V6s sharing a common crankshaft. As a result, the W12 is 24 percent shorter than a conventional V12, offering better packaging.
In its two decades of existence, the engine saw a 34 percent increase in power and a 54 percent increase in torque, while reducing CO2 emissions by 25 percent. The output grew from 552 hp (412 kW / 560 PS) and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) in the original Continental GT, to as much as 740 hp (552 kW / 750 PS) and 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) in the limited-production Mulliner Batur.
For comparison, the new V8-based PHEV system makes 771 hp (575 kW / 782 PS) and 1000 Nm (738 lb-ft) of torque.
The final W12 was celebrated by the R&D teams at a commemorative lunch event at Bentley’s Heritage Garage in Crewe. Those involved in the powertrains’ assembly received a W12 engine piston as a gift. The Batur will probably be the last model to feature the W12, after the limited run of 120 “Speed Edition 12” models for the Bentayga, Continental GT/GTC, and Flying Spur.
Over the years, Bentley broke records with W12-powered models. Among them two World Ice Speed Records – 199.98 mph with the Continental GT in 2007, and 205.48mph with the Continental GTC in 2011 – both with WRC champion Juha Kankkunen behind the wheel. Highlights also include the Pikes Peak records of the Bentayga Speed (production SUV) in 2018, and the Continental GT Speed (production car) in 2019.
Andreas Lehe, Member of the Board for Manufacturing at Bentley Motors, said: “The W12 has played such an important role in the history of Bentley that it was only right for us to celebrate the engine’s retirement with those linked to this powerplant. The engine’s introduction helped change the face of the company almost overnight and so will go down in history as a true game changer and we should feel very proud to have designed, developed and manufactured such an icon in Britain for such a long period of time.”
