Bentley ends production of its 6.75-litre V8 after 61 years
The British brand has said farewell to motoring's longest-running V8.
British luxury brand Bentley has built the last of its 6.75-litre ‘L-Series’ V8 after a 61-year continuous production run – the longest in automotive history for a V8 engine.
The hand-crafted L-Series commenced production in 1959 for use in the Bentley S2 with an output of approximately 134kW.
Although the original configuration and cylinder bore spacing was retained across the engine’s run, updated design, fuel injection, valve timing and turbocharging technology boosted outputs to 395kW and 1100Nm.
Above: Bentley S2 and Bentley Mulsanne
Bentley claims the engine’s final form also produces 99 per cent “fewer harmful emissions” than earlier iterations.
The 36,000th – and final – L-Series will be fitted to the last of 30 Bentley Mulliner Mulsanne 6.75 Edition cars, commemorated with badging and graphics that pay homage to the engine.
The L-Series will be succeeded in the Bentley stable by the brand’s W12, 4.0-litre V8 and a V6 with hybrid technology, with an eye towards more electric powertrains in the future.