The powerful twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 engine has been a favorite in the Bentley Continental GT since 2003. But its time is coming to an end with the Bentley Batur Convertible. Before the curtain falls, it’s giving its best performance yet, with 739 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque.
Now, Bentley has revealed the successor to this legendary engine, although they haven’t shared all the details yet. The new engine, called the Ultra Performance Hybrid, will debut this summer. It’s a V8 PHEV with “more than 750 PS combined output” and can run purely on electricity for 50 miles.
We don’t know the exact size of the engine, and Bentley hasn’t mentioned if it’s turbocharged. But based on similar engines in the Volkswagen Group, it’s likely to be a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 PHEV, like the one in the Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid and Lamborghini Urus SE.
Bentley promises this new engine will offer the highest output ever seen in a Bentley, hinting at power close to 800 hp.
In addition to being powerful, the Ultra Performance Hybrid will also provide torque across a wider range of speeds compared to the non-hybrid W12. And if you’re worried about its sound, fear not. Bentley released a sound clip, and it still has that signature Bentley engine sound.
This new hybrid engine will be featured in the top models like the Bentayga, Continental GT, and Flying Spur by the end of summer. We’ll have to wait until then to find out what will happen to the other engines currently offered, like the non-hybrid V8 and the plug-in hybrids for the Flying Spur and Bentayga.
