At its UK headquarters in Crewe, Bentley commemorated the production of its last hand-built W12 engine, which produced over 100,000 units in its two decades of existence. To celebrate the occasion, the W12 assembly and R&D teams were treated to a lunch. Additionally, every team member received a commemorative W12 engine piston. The discontinuation of the 12-cylinder engine is part of the company's Beyond 100 strategy, which seeks to position the brand as a provider of luxurious, sustainable mobility. It paves the way for Bentley's new Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain, which promises more power and efficiency. Now that the renowned W12 has been retired after more than two decades of service, let's take a look at some of its highlights.
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Bentley W12 Engine: A Quick Glance
The W12 engine, which made its debut with the Continental GT in 2003, was crucial to Bentley's success with its exceptional performance and compact design. Essentially, it consisted of two narrow-angle V6 engines sharing a single crankshaft. With this configuration, the engine was 24% shorter than a typical V12. It included innovative intercooling, turbocharging, exhaust, and intake systems that Bentley designed in-house. Notably, the 2003 Continental GT developed 552bhp. Over its extensive journey, the unit underwent continuous advancements and improvements, including a redesign in 2015. Talking about the second generation W12, Bentley said 'The introduction of the Bentyaga in 2015 saw a complete redesign of the Bentley W12, the result of three years of design, development and testing. Twin-scroll turbochargers delivered faster response and immediate torque; two different fuel systems ensured no compromise between performance and emissions; and - crucially for the Bentayga's off-road performance - the engine was tested to perform at tilt angles of up to 35 degrees in any direction.' During its two decades of operation, the engine gained 34% in power and 54% in torque, while reducing CO2 emissions by 25%. The amount of power produced rose from 552bhp in the first-generation Continental GT to up to 730bhp in the limited-production Mulliner Batur.
Bentley W12 Engine: Official Statements
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 we should feel very proud to have designed, developed, and manufactured such an icon in Britain for such a long period of time.'
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Dr. Matthias Rabe, Member of the Board for R&D at Bentley Motors, added 'The W12 has propelled our cars and business forward at an exceptional speed and will go down as one of the most important innovations in our illustrious history. Today marks the end of a development journey that our R&D and manufacturing colleagues over the years should be extremely proud of. Not least in the conceptualisation, but also the continued progress with regards to power and performance optimisation, while at the same time improving both emissions and refinement.'
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