Bentley’s W12 is less than a year away from going out of production. The British carmaker announced that it would stop building its flagship engine in April 2024 after making over 100,000 of them during its 22-year run, around 35,000 of which made it to the U.S.
Since its 2003 debut under the Continental GT’s hood, the 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 has evolved considerably, delivering more power and torque with each subsequent generation while reducing its emissions. If you’ve ever experienced it, whether in a GT, a Bentayga, or a Flying Spur, you know it’s a phenomenal engine.
As good as it is, however, the enormous W12 no longer fits the carmaker’s vision for the future, nor will it be a viable option as emission laws tighten globally. Bentley will never make another engine like it, especially as the carmaker plans to go fully electric by 2030, with its first battery-electric vehicle scheduled to land in 2026.
We should be excited, right? As the Rolls-Royce Spectre proves, an electric ultra-luxury car is a logical next step, delivering just as much grunt as a big V12 without making a sound. Bentley’s V8s are worth praising, too, as they can nearly match the W12’s performance while significantly reducing a car’s weight, resulting in a more dynamic drive.
While the brand’s future is bright, I can’t help but feel sad to see the W12 go. Sure, an electric Bentley will make for an even better luxury car, while I could see an argument that the marque’s V8 options are better suited to most driving scenarios. But what’s missing from those two options is the W12’s personality. It’s the engine most associated with Bentley and a key driver of the brand’s appeal.
Bentley’s W12 started as Volkswagen’s W12, commissioned by then Volkswagen AG CEO Ferdinand Piëch in the late 90s. Piëch had the idea of taking two VW VR6s and joining them together, thus creating the powertrain’s “W” shape. The six-cylinder served as an ideal base primarily because of its compactness. Given the narrowness of its “V,” two joined together would still be small enough to fit in an engine bay.
The engine formally debuted in a Bentley during the 2002 Paris Motor Show, powering the first-generation Continental GT. By then, it had grown to include two turbochargers, developing 552 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. The Flying Spur followed shortly in 2005, serving as the GT’s sedan counterpart riding on the same Volkswagen Group D1 architecture.
Today, the turbo-twelve powers Betley’s core production models, including the Continental GT, GTC, Flying Spur, and Bentayga. As a sort of last hoorah, Bentley brought out its entire lineup of W12-powered Speed models to Southern California for a day of driving on twisty roads, highways, and coastal roads.
In its current form, the W12 that powers the current Speed range develops 626 hp and 664 lb-ft, up 74 hp and 185 lb-ft since its unveiling. In the GT, GTC, and Flying Spur, the turbo-twelve pairs with a Porsche-sourced eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, while the Bentayga mates it with a ZF eight-speed auto. Despite their hardware differences, the Speed family delivers power almost indistinguishably from one another. The high-riding SUV may be the slowest shifter of the bunch, but it hardly matters with so much low-end torque available.
The 6.0-liter is tuned to deliver its power smoothly. As such, it never kicks you in the back. Instead, it propels you forward with seemingly neverending force, starkly contrasting the carmaker’s V8 and electrified V6 offerings. The GT Speed sprints to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, the quickest of the bunch, while the Bentayga Speed, the slowest, completes the run in 3.8 seconds. That is to say, as their name suggests, all four variants are properly quick.
The Flying Spur stands out from the pack. The more I become acquainted with Bentley’s current lineup, the more I love this large sedan. It’s the most Bentley Bentley, combining all the attributes that make an ultra-luxury car great with surprising athleticism. Don’t let its enormous cabin and footprint fool you; combining an active anti-roll bar system, adaptive air dampers, and stellar brakes, the Spur is more than up for a drive on a twisty road.
It also happens to be the best-looking too. From its long hood to its wide rear arches and enormous footprint, the Flying Spurr has the most road presence. It’s instantly recognizable as a luxury item, and were it my money to spend, it’s the one I’d shell the cash out for.
Bentley plans to cease W12 production in April of next year. Before then, the carmaker will honor the engine’s departure with the upcoming Edition 12 models, of which just 480 will be produced globally, with 240 cars destined for the U.S. Once the W12 departs, the folks tasked with building it will move on to other production lines, building the electrified V8 and V6 engines that will power the marque’s entire lineup by 2025.
The first battery-electric Bentley is due to arrive sometime in 2026; so far, we know quite a bit about it. In an interview with Autocar, Bentley Motors CEO Adrian Hallmark, stated that the brand’s first EV will have between 50 and 100 percent more power than the current W12 lineup while still being able to cover between 350 to 450 miles on a charge.
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As I said, Bentley’s future looks quite bright. The British brand is in a great spot with solid sales figures due to ever-growing demand. Given its investment in its upcoming lineup, customers should be happy as today’s offerings will only improve.
That said, as the brand moves into the future, I hope its new powertrain offerings bring along unique personalities. While the W12 is the product of a bygone era, and I’m sad to see it go. It’s the product of a bygone era, and it’s had its time in the spotlight. Now it’s time to welcome a new generation, which, if rumors are true, should push Bentley’s power and performance to never before seen heights.
