Bentley Waves Goodbye To V8 Twin-Turbo In Continental GT, GTC, And Flying Spur

The 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 will no longer be available on the Continental GT, Continental GTC, and Flying Spur as a result of Bentley's current emphasis on hybrid power. Actually, customers in Europe and the Middle East may no longer order such vehicles with a non-electrified V8.

Nonetheless, V8 versions will keep rolling off the assembly line until June in order to fulfill current orders, so you may be able to find one at your local dealership. Bentley has been tight-lipped about the US market order book closing date.

A hybrid powertrain will swap out the old engine in the Continental GT and GTC later this year. Bentley unveiled a plug-in hybrid V8 engine, producing 740 horsepower (551 kilowatts or 750 Newton-meters), as the successor to the W12 engine. The new hybrid engine has an increased horse power of 90 kW (67 PS) compared to the W12 it replaces, and it will provide an electric range of up to 80 km (50 miles).

If the four-figure number that Bentley promised for the unit is accurate, then the engine should produce at least 1,000 Nm (738 lb-ft) of torque, making any car that has it very speedy. The Flying Spur will offer both the current V6 hybrid and the future V8 hybrid powerplant. It has an electric range of 25 miles (40 km), 536 horsepower (200 kW or 544 PS), and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque.

The Continental GT's availability of the more compact plug-in engine remains uncertain. For those who like their V8 engines unplugged, the good news is that you can still get one in the Bentayga, at least for the time being. By the year 2030, the company intends to have launched only electric vehicles.