Bentley may still be saying farewell to its W12 engine with several swansong models, but the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 is next. At least in the Continental and Flying Spur variants, the Bentayga will continue to use this powerplant indefinitely.
There is no hard cutoff for the V8 in North America. However, Bentley claims that manufacturing its final 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 cars in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East will be completed soon, with final deliveries in June. North America “will come later.” This announcement revealed that an “all-new” V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain is on the way, and it will serve as the company’s flagship offering, replacing the W12.
Bentley suggests that hybrid powertrains will replace the soon-to-be-retired gas-only V8 option and that all its model lines will feature a hybrid alternative by 2024. The Continental is the only model that does not yet have a hybrid option, so expect an announcement soon.
The Continental models have Edition 8 badges on their fenders, while the Flying Spur has one on the D pillar. The seat backs and treadplates both feature an Edition 8 design. Bentley claims it has never featured this design on its core/mainstream vehicles. The palm-fluting design on its luxurious seats is a particularly noticeable luxury detail.
