Bentley announces today that it will cease production of its 12-cylinder petrol engine in April 2024. By this time, more than 100,000 examples of the iconic W12 will have been handcrafted in the company’s Dream Factory in Crewe, England.
The decision comes as part of Bentley’s acceleration towards a sustainable future through its Beyond100 strategy. It will see the company’s entire model line fully electrified by the start of the next decade, reducing average fleet emissions to 0 g/km CO2.
This journey has already begun by introducing the Bentayga and Flying Spur Hybrid models, for which demand exceeds the company’s expectations.
Meanwhile, an engine first made available in the sector-defining Continental GT, which has been metaphorically powering Bentley for the last 20 years, will be consigned to history.
Bentley isn’t letting the W12 bow out without a dramatic send-off. Development work has concluded recently on the most potent version of the W12 ever created.
The ultimate iteration of this mighty engine – destined for just 18 examples of the Bentley Batur to be handcrafted by Mulliner – is now confirmed as developing 750 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque.
Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive, Adrian Hallmark, comments: “Our progressive journey towards sustainable luxury mobility means changing every area of Bentley Motors. When we first launched the W12 in 2003, we knew we had a mighty engine to propel our cars and the brand forwards at speed. Twenty years and more than 100,000 W12s later, the time has come to retire this now-iconic powertrain as we take strides towards electrification – but not without giving it the best send-off possible, with the most potent version of the engine ever created.”
The uprated engine has proven to be as reliable as ever and will equip the most powerful road-going Bentley ever built.
While all Baturs are sold, a limited number of the 659 PS version of the W12 engine offered in the Speed versions of Continental GT, Bentayga and Flying Spur, as well as the Continental GT Mulliner and Flying Spur Mulliner, can still be ordered.
These final W12-powered Speed and Mulliner models are expected to be high. Customers eager to secure one of the last 12-cylinder Bentleys should contact their retailer with equal speed – orders for W12-powered models will close in December.
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