Bentley has confirmed that it’s going to exchange its outgoing W12 engine with a V8-based plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain that places out greater than 740bhp.

The agency added that the set-up will produce, in metric items, “four-figure torque over a wider plateau”, suggesting it should no less than match the 738lb ft of the tuned W12 within the limited-run Batur.

Bentley has but to reveal the technical specs of the brand new engine or its electricals however mentioned the powertrain will ship an electric-only vary of fifty miles between fees and CO2 emissions of lower than 50g/km.

The Continental GT, GTC and Flying Spur might be up to date with the brand new powertrains later this 12 months, changing each the usual V8 and the W12 in every occasion.

The Bentayga will provide a pure-combustion engine till 2026, at which level it should go hybrid-only.

The V6-based plug-in hybrid powertrains in each the Bentayga and Flying Spur will stay on sale.

The new particulars come shortly after former Bentley introduced significant investment into plug-in hybrids. Former CEO Adrian Hallmark, who was lately named the next boss of Aston Martin, mentioned Bentley will spend “hundreds of millions” on PHEVs that might be provided on the market into the early 2030s.

He hailed PHEVs as a “transitional technology” for decreasing CO2 emissions and acclimatising drivers to electrical driving.

As properly as upping funding in PHEVs, Bentley additionally delayed its first battery-electric automotive from subsequent 12 months to late 2026. Hallmark cited delays to the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) programme as the explanation for pushing again the brand new automotive. These points additionally set again the arrival of the Audi Q6 E-tron and the electric Porsche Macan.

He added that the delay would enable additional growth of the EV’s superior driver help techniques.