The Bentley W-12 is dead and there’s a new hybrid V8

The electrified setup will have more than 740 horsepower.

Because all good things come to an end, Bentley will retire its legendary W-12 engine this summer. The Batur Cabriolet is the last hurray for the twelve-cylinder giant. But what comes next? A smaller and electrified alternative, of course.

Bentley announced a new “Ultra Performance Hybrid” as its flagship powertrain. The hybrid setup replaces the venerable 6.0-liter biturbo engine and is based on a V8 gasoline engine. Despite having four fewer cylinders, the new engine promises more power – but only with an electric motor. Bentley says the total output will exceed the 740 hp available in the Batur, which is also 89 hp more than the Flying Spur Speed ​​and Continental GT Speed ​​models.

The exact amount of torque is not mentioned, but the number will be four digits. Bentley refers to 1,000 Newton meters, which is 738 pound-feet. Compared to the previous W-12, it will be available in a wider speed range. We remind you that the Batur has 738 lb-ft of torque from 1,750 to 5,000 rpm.

Bentley mentions that the Ultra Performance Hybrid will be its “most dynamic and responsive” powertrain ever. Thanks to hybrid technology, it will also be “the most efficient”. An unspecified battery is sufficient for an electric range of 50 miles. This number is based on the WLTP cycle, so a corresponding EPA rating will likely be lower.

The new hardware, touted as a performance-oriented hybrid V8, won’t be Bentley’s first electrified setup. The 2.9-liter V6 hybrid has been around for years. In the Flying Spur, this PHEV configuration produces a total of 536 hp and 553 lb-ft.

Bentley will use its Ultra Performance Hybrid in a new family of non-W-12 “everyday supercars.” 105,000 units of the old engine were built in the last 20 years and gained almost 40 percent more power. Fuel consumption fell by 25 percent, but the new V8 hybrid is said to achieve even greater efficiency.

Bentley’s all-electric future has been postponed. The automaker had originally planned to offer only electric vehicles starting in 2030, but the new target is 2033. Additionally, the first zero-emission model has been delayed by about a year. Publication is now planned for the end of 2026 and delivery to customers will take place in 2027.

Bentley is not the only high-end brand in the Volkswagen Group that is gradually moving away from large-displacement engines. Audi has already killed the V-10 by retiring the R8 supercar. Lamborghini will follow suit later this year with the Huracan successor with a plug-in hybrid V8. However, the Sant’Agata Bolognese company still has the big V-12 in the Revuelto.

VW phased out the V8 diesel from the Touareg a few years ago, and Bentley did so too, discontinuing the TDI-powered Bentayga with the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo engine. Bugatti is killing the Chiron and its mighty W-16, but the next hypercar from Molsheim will have a newly developed V-16 hybrid engine instead.

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