Replacing Displacement: Bentley Discontinues W12 in favor of EV Development

By Edward A. Sanchez — Feb. 22, 2023

The term “there’s no replacement for displacement” is quickly becoming an anachronism as four-figure output EVs such as the Tesla Model S Plaid and Lucid Air Sapphire are coming into the marketplace. Never before, at least in my knowledge, have four-figure horsepower street-legal mass-production cars been on sale until the advent of EVs. Okay, maybe the Bugatti Veyron and Chiron, but it’s a bit of a stretch to consider those “mass-production.” And now, with the ever-tightening regulatory noose on ICE vehicle emissions, Bentley is finally closing the chapter on its storied W12.

With the brand’s announced commitment to be fully EV by 2030, it only makes sense to shift development resources to electrification. Although part of the much larger Volkswagen Group, and all the resources that come with it, Bentley as a business unit still has its own budget it must account for, so continued expenditures on ICE development with internal-combustion facing de facto bans in most of Europe by 2030 or 2035 would probably not be the best use of resources.

Being a lifelong petrol head up until a few years ago, I understand the nostalgia and fondness for the character of internal combustion engines, and their unique exhaust notes and aural signatures, compared to the generic hum and whine of an electric motor’s inverters and reduction gear.

As Bentley flies toward full electrification, expect engine options to dwindle.

But from a purely objective standpoint, electric motors are superior on just about every level: Efficiency, power delivery, smoothness, and torque. Sure, batteries are nowhere near the volumetric power density of liquid hydrocarbon fuels, but the motors themselves are massively more power-dense than an equivalent-output internal combustion engine.

Especially in the context of luxury vehicles, electric motors make all the sense in the world to me. Rolls-Royce and other luxury brands stuff their flagship vehicles with hundreds of pounds of sound-deadening, specialized sound systems with noise-cancellation systems, and other measures to isolate the cabin from engine noise. While EVs are not exactly “silent” as they’re often described, the NVH created by an EV powertrain is a fraction of that produced by most internal combustion engines. Abundant power and seamless, smooth delivery are easy with an electric motor, whereas they require a lot of engineering and tuning to achieve with an ICE powertrain.

If you’re still nostalgic for an internal-combustion experience in your Bentley, the brand will continue to offer V6 and V8 powertrains sourced from parent company Volkswagen, but as 2030 approaches, expect consolidation in powertrain choices to continue.

The inevitability of electrification scares and threatens some, but having lived with an EV for the last four years, it’s been a largely pleasant experience for me. Certainly not perfect, but an eye-opening preview of the future of personal transportation. Viva la revolución.

(Images courtesy Bentley)

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