Bentley’s New Hybrid V8 Packs More Punch Than Outgoing W12
As Bentley announced back in February of last year, the iconic twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine will bow out at the end of this spring after a run of 20 years and 105,000 units.
Its electrified successor, announced today, will be “the most dynamic, most responsive and most efficient system in Bentley’s history, befitting a new generation of daily supercars,” the British automaker claims.
Called “Ultra Performance Hybrid,” this new powertrain is based on Bentley’s existing hybrid technology, except that the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 is getting a host of upgrades. Total system output will exceed 740 horsepower, or 90 horsepower more than the W12 in the Continental GT Speed. “Four-figure torque,” obviously calculated in Newton-metres, means it should generate at least 737 pound-feet.
In terms of efficiency, Bentley is promising fewer than 50 g/km of CO2 emissions and 80 km of pure electric range using Europe’s WLTP test cycle as a reference in both cases. These figures will inevitably be adjusted for the North American market.
We expect the battery to be the same 25.9kWh pack that is found in the new 2025 Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid, although that has yet to be confirmed. More details will be released over the coming weeks.
In recent months, Bentley updated its Beyond100 product plan, and while every model in the lineup will indeed go hybrid by 2026, internal combustion engines will be completely eliminated three years later than initially envisioned—in 2033 instead of 2030.
If you want a brand new, gas-only Bentley, you should hurry to order one.