Bentley is to finish manufacturing of its flagship 12-cylinder engine in its shift to electrification, turning into the primary of the posh automotive manufacturers to name time on expertise thought of the top of engineering within the combustion period.

The 12-cylinder engine, a lot greater than the usual three or 4 in most petrol automobiles and bigger than V8 engines frequent in high-performance automobiles, gave Bentley’s fashions their signature easy energy.

The final batch of the present engine, first launched in 2003 with greater than 100,000 manufactured, will roll off the manufacturing line in April 2024, underlining the gathering tempo within the swap to electrical.

Bentley’s rivals together with Rolls-Royce and Ferrari are nonetheless planning to supply the expertise for a number of years whereas planning to roll out electrical fashions, as the highest finish of the trade charts a course in direction of decarbonisation.

Luxurious automotive manufacturers have been usually slower to introduce battery fashions as prospects can usually afford a number of automobiles and don’t need to compromise on vary.

But Bentley is aiming to take the lead amongst established luxurious names for providing extra environmentally pleasant alternate options, despite the fact that present well-heeled prospects are nonetheless in a position to afford fashions utilizing bigger engines.

“The time has come to retire this now iconic power-train as we take strides in direction of electrification,” stated Bentley chief govt Adrian Hallmark.

The shift in direction of electrification “means making adjustments to each space of Bentley Motors”, he added.

Though it’s getting ready to promote its first electrical mannequin later this 12 months, Rolls-Royce affords solely 12-cylinder petrol engines in its line-up.

Ferrari has some smaller V8 and V6 engines however nonetheless suits the bigger engine into flagship fashions such because the Purosangue.

Bentley stated it can make its first battery electrical mannequin in 2026, a 12 months after promised battery fashions from Ferrari and Aston Martin. Rolls-Royce has one electrical mannequin, the Spectre, which is because of be delivered late this 12 months.

Bentley is planning to impress its complete line-up by the beginning of the following decade, with the purpose of decreasing its common emissions to zero.

About 30 workers that hand-build and check the W12 engine, which is known as after its form, will likely be retrained and redeployed throughout the enterprise.

The British group plans a restricted run of Batur fashions, which is able to home the engine. It’ll additionally supply a small variety of present fashions with the engine earlier than the phase-out date as effectively.

The model, which is owned by Volkswagen, will nonetheless promote automobiles with V8 and V6 engines and supply hybrid fashions on all future automobiles from subsequent 12 months.

Bentley stated demand for hybrid variations of its Bentayga and Flying Spur fashions is “already exceeding expectations”. 

It added that fixed enhancements to the W12 meant that energy is 37 per cent greater than 20 years in the past, whereas emissions are 25 per cent decrease.