Updated 12:01 AM,Feb 23,2023
Bentley has announced it will cease production of its 12-cylinder petrol engine in April 2024. By that time, the company will have handcrafted over 100,000 high-precision W12 engines at its 'Dream Factory' facility in Crewe, England.
This decision is part of Bentley’s accelerated push toward a sustainable future, anchored in its Beyond100 strategy, which aims to make the entire model lineup fully electric by the next decade, reducing fleet CO2 emissions to zero grams per kilometer. The journey has already begun with the launch of hybrid Bentayga and Flying Spur models, both of which are experiencing demand that exceeds company expectations. Meanwhile, the iconic W12 engine—first introduced in the Continental GT, which set benchmarks for its class—will now become part of automotive history.
However, Bentley will not retire the W12 without a final, remarkable gesture. Development of the most powerful version of the W12 engine has recently been completed. This ultimate variant, reserved exclusively for just 18 specially crafted Bentley Batur vehicles produced by the Mulliner customization division, will deliver 750 horsepower and 1,000 newton-meters of torque.
Within this context, the upgraded engine continues to demonstrate exceptional reliability, as always. It will power the most potent road-going Bentley ever built. Although all Batur models have now been sold, a limited number of W12-powered variants producing 659 horsepower remain available for customers. These include the Speed versions of the Continental GT, Bentayga, and Flying Spur, as well as the Continental GT Mulliner and Flying Spur Mulliner. Given their historical significance, these final W12-equipped models are expected to hold high value, so prospective buyers should contact dealers promptly—especially since the window for ordering W12-powered models will close in December.
Bentley plans to expand its production line to accommodate other engines used in plug-in hybrid models, repurposing the existing W12 engine plant at its carbon-neutral facility in Crewe for this transition.
Since the debut of the 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine in 2003, the engineering team in Crewe has continuously refined its performance in terms of power, torque, emissions, and precision. With the launch of the Bentayga in 2015, the W12 underwent a complete redesign from the assembly floor up. This version remains in production today, featuring cylinder deactivation, direct fuel injection, twin-scroll turbochargers, and advanced efficiency systems.
Each W12 engine is hand-assembled over 6.5 hours by a team of skilled artisans before undergoing a rigorous, complex testing program lasting more than an hour across three specialized diagnostic machines. Every week, one engine is subjected to an extended test cycle and then fully disassembled for inspection.
Before celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the dedicated W12 production facility will have delivered more than 105,000 engines.
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