Posted on 02/22/2023 12:49:40 PM PST by Twotone
Bentley Motors plans to end production of its 12-cylinder engine next April as the famed luxury carmaker transitions to electric vehicles.
The British automaker of ultra-luxury performance cars said the milestone would be celebrated with the most powerful version of the W12 engine ever created, with 740 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque.
Bentley said the upgraded engine will only be used in 18 Bentley Baturs — handcrafted two-seat performance cars that start at about $2 million. The vehicles are already sold, the prestigious automaker said.
“The time has come to retire this now-iconic powertrain as we take strides toward electrification,” Bentley Chairman and CEO Adrian Hallmark said in a release.
The end of the W12 is the latest example of automakers pivoting to all-electric vehicles. Bentley last year said it would spend 2.5 billion pounds (about $3 billion) over the next decade to become a fully electric luxury brand by 2030.
The company, which is owned by Volkswagen
, said a limited number of W12 engines with 649 horsepower are available for versions of the Continental GT, Bentayga and Flying Spur.
Production of the W12 engine will be replaced with expanded assembly of V8 and V6 hybrid engines, according to the company. Bentley says it has produced more than 100,000 of the W12 engines since the assembly began in 2003.
Christophe Georges, CEO of Bentley Americas, declined to comment on when the company plans to phase out the V8 and V6 engine, beyond reiterating the previously announced plan of 2030.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
It smells woke.
Dumb dumb dumb dumb
Boycott Bentley! I know I will.
I think I have seen maybe 3 Bentleys on the road my entire life.
The whole point is to get rid of all personal transportation, EV or not.
Someone is.
Hang on to your ICE vehicles. They will be like gold in the future.
Well... I’ll never buy another bentley!
Well I wouldn’t worry about Bentley. at 200k a pop to start MSRP, this isn’t a market that’s going to change much of anything... And electrics do deliver very good performance in terms of speed and off the line, etc etc...
I doubt highly most people who own Bentley’s have remotely put there existing motors anywhere near their capabilities.
For the record Bentley sold something like 15k units last year.
Boycott, hmm. Only those in position to withdraw from commercial or social relations with Bentley are able to boycott the company, at least as boycott is commonly defined. Everyone else claiming to boycott Bentley is virtue signaling.
Oversized elitist golf cart.
Sounds about right. /s
EVs = Yard Planters
Golly, there’s just no getting anything past you. You must be a real smart feller.
I saw a Bentley SUV getting gas at Costco last week. The driver was just an ordinary frumpy looking middle aged woman. I sure didn’t know they made SUVs.
Those SUVs will run 185 mph!
Those SUVs will run 185 thousand
How will get get gas, or pay for it with those exorbitant taxes they will put on gas?
I lost my license, now I don't drive.
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