Bentley Motors is celebrating the production of the last hand-built, high-performance 12-cylinder engine at the company’s UK headquarters in Crewe. This marks a pivotal chapter in Bentley’s history as the final W12-powered Bentayga, Continental GT, and Flying Spur cars roll off the production line at the company’s Dream Factory.
Since its introduction in the original Continental GT in 2003, more than 100,000 W12 engines have been produced. This milestone decision to cease production aligns with Bentley’s Beyond100 strategy, which aims to position the company as a global leader in sustainable luxury mobility.
To commemorate this occasion, a special lunch for the W12 assembly and R&D teams was held at Bentley’s Heritage Garage in Crewe. Guests gathered to form part of a W12 portrait photograph in the Pyms Lane Plaza, and assembly colleagues were presented with commemorative W12 engine pistons.
Andreas Lehe, Member of the Board for Manufacturing at Bentley Motors, stated, “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.”
The 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12, the most successful 12-cylinder engine of the modern era, will be replaced with an all-new, performance-focused powertrain. This Ultra High Performance Hybrid will combine a powerful V8 combustion engine with advanced battery technology. The new powertrain will produce more power than the retiring W12 while achieving a low WLTP drive cycle CO2 figure of just 50 g/km.
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 should be extremely proud of.”
20 Years of Excellence in Engineering
The W12 engine was created to offer the refinement and power of a twelve-cylinder engine without excessive size. The compact W12 is 24 percent shorter than a conventional V12, making it ideal for the Continental GT, launched in 2003. The 2003 Continental GT developed 552 bhp and a peak torque of 479 lb.ft, delivering a tidal wave of torque at any engine speed, a Bentley hallmark.
Each W12 engine is hand-built in Crewe, requiring meticulous assembly of 2,600 separate components. The finished W12 powers a Continental GT Speed from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds) and on to 208 mph, delivering both power and refinement throughout its lifetime.
Records and Benchmarks
The Bentley W12 has claimed significant records during its twenty years of production. In 2007, four-time World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen claimed the outright World Ice Speed Record in a Continental GT, hitting 199.98 mph. In 2011, Kankkunen raised the bar to 205.48 mph in a 621 bhp Continental Supersports Convertible. In 2015, actor Idris Elba set a new UK Land Speed Record at Pendine Sands, recording 180.361 mph in a Continental GT Speed.
Swansong for the W12
The arrival of Bentley’s new Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain, with 782 PS and 1,000 Nm, heralds the end of W12 production at Crewe. To celebrate the W12, Bentley announced a limited run of 120 ‘Speed Edition 12’ models for Bentayga, Continental GT, Continental GT Convertible, and Flying Spur. Unique features include Edition 12 badging, treadplates, seat embroidery, fascia inlays, and a numbered engine plaque.
The W12 engine has also played a key role in establishing ‘coachbuilt by Mulliner’ at the pinnacle of individual automotive luxury. The Bacalar barchetta, the rarest two-door Bentley with just 12 examples, is powered by a 650 bhp W12. Its Mulliner stablemate, the Batur, will go down in history as the ultimate W12-powered Bentley.
With over 100,000 examples still delivering exceptional service worldwide, the Bentley W12 is the most successful 12-cylinder engine of the modern era. Its legacy will continue as Bentley embarks on its electric era.
Source: Bentley
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