Why did Bentley stop the W12?
W12s later, the time has come to retire this now-iconic powertrain as we take strides towards electrification. Better savour it then, because one suspects we won’t be finding out what an electric Bentley tastes like. The Batur Convertible retains the most powerful version of Bentley’s iconic W12, with a 750 PS, hand-assembled 6. Bentley’s success for the last two decades.
Why does Bentley use W12 instead of V12?
Lighter Weight: The W12 engine is lighter than many V8 or V12 engines, which helps improve the car’s overall performance and handling. More Power in Less Space: With 12 cylinders firing in a compact layout, the W12 engine can produce incredible power and smoothness while remaining efficient. The drawbacks of the W12 engine are high cost, increased maintenance, heavy weight, and poor fuel economy.When it comes to sheer power and acceleration, the V12 is second to none. With more cylinders contributing to combustion, the engine can generate significant power and torque, especially at higher RPMs.Adding 4 cylinders can add more power, such as with the Bentley Continental GT V8 compared to the W12 version, where the V8 has 542 horsepower compared to the W12 with 626 horsepower. That’s enough to shave the 0-60 from 4.
Why did BMW stop making V12?
Its demise had been written on the wall for quite some time as the German luxury marque said it was just too expensive to tweak the engine to meet stricter emissions regulations. The fact it was a low-volume powertrain didn’t help its cause either. That said, the BMW Group still makes a V12 engine for Rolls-Royce. After World War II, V12 engines became generally obsolete in aircraft due to the introduction of turbojet and turboprop engines that had more power for their weight, and fewer complications.Lighter Weight: The W12 engine is lighter than many V8 or V12 engines, which helps improve the car’s overall performance and handling. More Power in Less Space: With 12 cylinders firing in a compact layout, the W12 engine can produce incredible power and smoothness while remaining efficient.The first production car to use the W12 engine was the 2001 Audi A8 (D2). Other cars to use the W12 engine are the 2005-present Bentley Continental Flying Spur, 2015–present, 2004-2011 Volkswagen Phaeton W12 and the 2005-2010 Volkswagen Touareg W12.