Bentley Continental and Flying Spur V8 axed, hybrid replacements imminent
V8 power is gone from Bentley's coupe, convertible and sedan range – but not for long, as new hybrid-assisted versions are waiting in the wings.
Bentley has cut purely petrol V8-powered versions of the Continental GT two-door and Flying Spur sedan in key global markets – including Australia – ahead of plug-in hybrid V8 successors due to be shown imminently.
The axing forms part of previously announced plans for every new petrol-fuelled Bentley sold to be a plug-in hybrid by 2026, the same year the company's first electric car is due to be unveiled.
This V8 news joins the end of production for the iconic Bentley W12 engine – more than 105,000 examples of which have been built since 2001 – which is said to be "imminent".
Orders have now closed for the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 versions of the Continental GT coupe, Continental GTC convertible, and Flying Spur sedan in the UK, Europe, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, South-East Asia and Taiwan.
Production is due to end in June. Bentley says there is some stock remaining within the dealer network, and in transit for customers without an order.
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A spokesperson for Bentley Australia told Drive the final local deliveries are due by the end of September for regular cars, or December for vehicles with Mulliner customisation options, which attract an additional wait time.
The current non-hybrid Bentayga V8 SUV remains on sale, and is yet to be handed an end date.
Bentley says the replacement for the discontinued V8 variants will be "announced in the coming weeks," which may be the V8 plug-in hybrid system announced last week as the indirect successor to the W12.
It combines the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with an electric motor for "more than" 552kW and 1000Nm, and an electric-only driving range of 80km from a battery pack of undisclosed capacity.
For context, the final 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 produced 485kW and 900Nm, while the last non-hybrid iteration of the V8 – of which more than 53,000 have been built for Bentley since 2012 – has 404kW and 770Nm.
Bentley currently offers two plug-in hybrid models: the 3.0-litre single-turbo V6 Bentayga Hybrid with 340kW/700Nm, and the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 Flying Spur Hybrid with 400kW/750Nm.
The British luxury car maker says "demand is exceeding the company’s expectations" for the Bentayga and Flying Spur Hybrids.
Last year, Bentley reported seven and three examples of the SUV and sedan as sold in Australia, respectively – accounting for 6.5 and 17.6 per cent of deliveries.
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