While it was never explicitly said that the new Bentley SUV would use 12-cylinder power, we always just assumed it would be. I mean, c'mon, this is Bentley! At this point in time, despite having a fuel-saving V8 on the horizon and an insane twin-tubo V8 in the Mulsanne , Bentley is identified by the W12 in the way that a Corvette is by a pushrod V8.
Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer knows this, too, and he knows how important big numbers are to luxury buyers. "We will be first to use a 12-cylinder petrol engine in a luxury SUV. I like this idea; it makes clear whose car is the boss," said Durheimer to AutoCar.
This engine would be in addition to the diesel V12 that Bentley is planning for a few years after launch.
"Ninety-nine per cent of Bentley owners also own an SUV. I am absolutely sure the demand is there," Durheimer concluded. "Absolutely thousands of premium SUVs have been sold -- Cayennes, Range Rovers, Q7s and so on -- but nobody has given those owners the chance to upgrade. We will."
V12 diesel or Gasoline W12...decision decisions....
(AutoCar)
markedwards says:
01:23 PM, 10/10/11
Is this even news? The 1st gen Touareg/Q7 platform offered up W12 petrol and V12 diesel engines outside the US. Since the new Touareg (presumed platform donor) is larger still, it doesn't take much of a leap to imagine the same possibilities.
deagle13 says:
10:24 AM, 10/11/11
"We will be first to use a 12-cylinder petrol engine in a luxury SUV."
The Lamborghini LM002 had a V12...
pei_asdf says:
10:25 AM, 10/11/11
Thank God. The interior of my Cayennes is so plastic compares with my Ghost.
bankerdanny says:
10:39 AM, 10/11/11
I think that it is worth pointing out that none of the refernced SUV's come close to the $200k price tag that would likely accompany this vehicle. Hopefully Bentley's sales goals will be very low.
boobylortez says:
11:39 AM, 10/11/11
Just watch. Bentley won't be able to make these things fast enough.