British luxury carmaker Bentley announced on Wednesday that it will cease production of its iconic 12-cylinder petrol engine in April 2024 as part of the electrification of its range. Bentley also warns in its press release that there are only a few vehicle copies available to order with this W12 engine.
When production stops, “more than 100,000 examples of the iconic W12 will have been hand-built” at the brand’s factory in Crewe, west of England, since its launch in 2003, the company has specified.
Bentley in full electric shift
The British manufacturer has set itself the goal of seeing the first fully electric cars leave its British factory in 2025 and has promised to refine its catalog of combustion models by 2030. Objectives supported by the Beyond Zero strategic plan. Bentley plans to upgrade its historic Crewe site to make it “a benchmark in luxury car manufacturing” for sustainability.
The company employs 4,000 people at this site, which concentrates all its activities, from design to production, through research and development and engineering. Bentley, which is part of the Volkswagen group, had a record year in 2022 like other luxury car brands with 15,174 cars sold, 4% more than the previous year, which had already seen a record production level.
Source: BFM TV
