Bentley Motors have transported royalty and executives for years and have constantly been chosen due to its refined luxury cars. Over the last few years, the brand has begun a shift, like its peers, toward electric and hybrid mobility. The inevitable shift has posed a number of challenges for brands whose leading products are sports cars and supercars. However, the move to EV and hybrid-based powertrains makes total sense for brands like Bentley, who look for the perfect blend of performance and comfort in their product.
One thing is for sure, we will miss the heavenly W12. With an idle so smooth you could balance a penny on the engine cover. Very few motors have been designed so meticulously as those in Bentley cars. And apart from the creaminess of the big lump, the resulting performance is also a sad sight to see depart. However, the incoming EVs from Bentley will be twice as powerful as the W12 engines, according to Bentley Motors CEO Adrian Hallmark. And that makes us excited and ready to embrace Bentley’s all-electric future.
Which Bentley Models Have The W12 Engine?
Bentley’s current lineup consists of just 3 models. The Flying Spur, the Bentayga, and the Continental GT/GTC. All of which have the 6.0-liter W12 engine as an option. These models seem to be covering all of Bentley’s customer clientele successfully. The luxury limousine, the family-friendly SUV, and the long-distance GT car.
The W12 suits all of these models for their respective duties. When in Continental GTC Speed frock, its most powerful form has 650 HP and will push the coupe to 208 MPH after seeing off 0-60 in just 3.6 seconds. This a rather impressive set of figures given the GTC’s total weight of just under 5,000 pounds.
Bentley has said that April 2024 will be D-Day for the W12 as it will find its way into a swansong limited edition run of luxury performance cars become it ceases production. This final run will be the brand’s most powerful yet and will be encased in a unique model the brand has called “Batur”. With 740HP and 738 FT-LB of torque, this legendary piece of engineering will be going out on a high.
Does Bentley Have An Electric Car?
Currently, Bentley Motors does not produce an all-electric car. The brand does offer plug-in hybrid options for the Bentayga and Flying Spur. The Bentayga plug-in hybrid is arguably the best luxury hybrid SUV on the market, ticking every box you could ask for from a vehicle in its category. The car also serves as an insight into the brand’s future, which is looking increasingly hopeful.
Their hybrid version of the flying spur is perfectly suited for the technology. Serving as the brand’s only standing limousine, customers can expect to drive or, more likely, be driven in near-perfect silence. The Flying Spur Mulliner Hybrid topped our list of the best luxury hybrids, and for good reason.
Bentley is dedicated to adding more Hybrids to their line-up before the time comes to switch fully to EV. With years of engine technology and development, the brand is clearly trying to get the most out of this and buy themselves some time to develop the perfect EV powertrain to accompany their vehicles.
W12 Vs Electric: The Bentley Of The Future
Bentley’s Beyond100 strategy spoke about the company’s first all-electric model. With the £2.5 billion investment, their first EV is being designed and developed at the brand Crewe HQ, the same place where it will be made. The original plan was for the zero-emissions model to release in 2025, but the launch has been pushed back to 2026 after a number of delays.
The delay is something affecting the future of all VW group electric cars. As one of the world’s largest producers of automobiles, it’s crucial that the brand get this perfect as its future truly depends on it, and so far, Bentley’s hybrid models have been very successful. On the day the first Bentley without a combustion engine does eventually roll off the production line, it will take on the role of the brand’s flagship model.
The anticipated new Bentley EV is expected to cost over $250,000 and will have around 1400 HP and go from 0-60MPH in just one and a half seconds. The EV powertrain will be considerably faster than anything the brand has made using ICEs. In a recent interview with Autocar UK, Bentley’s CEO said, “They will happen to be electric, but all the traditional qualities will go up another notch. What’s more, our new powertrains will have between 50% and 100% more power than we currently offer, so the performance will be there”. The next 7 years is a time of big change for the brand, and their move to zero emissions is surely a positive and exciting one.
None of us want to see the day when you can no longer buy a combustion-powered, manual-geared sports car. However, if we want luxury, comfort, and poise, an all-electric Bentley ticks all of those boxes. All that’s left to do is to ensure that the range is long enough for its purpose, as is the only trouble with an all-electric future.
Sources: Bentley. Autocar UK
