Bentley is considering offering diesel engines in its cars, a new report finds. Bentley’s parent company, Volkswagen, has some of the world’s best diesel technology — thanks to their long history with the oil burning powerplant — and even has some high-performance diesels engines waiting in the wings.
Bentley’s marketing director, Adrian Hallmark, told AutoTelegraaf that a diesel powerplant would make sense for the Bentley brand because its customers expect a low revving, high-torque engine. However, the project has yet to get the green light because the current demand level isn’t high enough to warranty the engineering costs of putting a diesel into a Bentley model.
Bentley has access to VW’s V10 and V12 TDI engines — the latter being the same motor used in the Audi R8 V12 TDI concept — but Hallmark claims both engines are too large to fit under the bonnet of either the Continental GT or Flying Spur, the most likely candidates for diesel-power.
But with Roll-Royce reportedly readying a diesel powerplant option for its upcoming ‘Baby Rolls’, Bentley could give the program the green light sooner than later.
02/15, 8:59 AM
posted by:
Kaizen
That would be nice. I wonder if there would be any NVH concerns. A 12 cyl diesel has to run smoother than that 4 cyl TDI in VWs. Mercedes needs to make all of their AMGs diesel; they’re already torque monster. Now they’d be torque monsters with better gas mileage.
02/15, 9:36 AM
posted by:
M Power
Awesome idea. The continental line already pulls like a train with the current W12. With the torque of a diesel they would be unimaginably fast…and could return “respectable” fuel economy.
02/15, 9:40 AM
posted by:
Syrax
yeah, but it would need substantial changes: have you seen the engine bay in the gt? it’s tight. and everyone knows the w12 is smaller than a normal v12.
02/15, 9:56 AM
posted by:
Veda
Oh wow, finally a Bentley worth buying. The drawback of these ultra luxury cars is the fuel consumption which requires them to stop too often to fill between long trips. Now that the problem’s fixed, they suddenly become a lot more attractive.
02/15, 10:08 AM
posted by:
GBilbo070
Its a Good thing W.O Bentley is dead because this thread would have killed him!
02/15, 10:20 AM
posted by:
Stinky007
It’s about time they build a halo diesel car! All those crappy VW 4 cylinder diesels that rattle and shake like vibrators and sound like tractors on steroids need something to market them!
I only hope that VAG will stop showing of concepts using the V12 TDI and release the real engine already! I’ve already seen two Q7 V12 TDI concepts and one R8 TDI…
As for Bentley, this will get them into a new market: diesel fans, but will probably make old-school fans raise an eyebrow.
02/15, 11:46 AM
posted by:
corvette
my respect level would skyrocket for Bentley if they put diesels in their cars.
02/15, 12:09 PM
posted by:
nowei
I actually think if they stuffed a version of the 4.2 V8 in the Continental it would go over quite well, especially with old buyers. It’d be the same idea behind Mercedes making a V6 Turbo Diesel S-Class. There are a whole lot of people who simply want an amply comfortable car who still wouldn’t know what to do with 300-odd horsepower and some 480 lb-ft. of torque let alone 600 horsepower and 550-ish lb-ft. of torque.
I think the only issue with that concept is whether or not they’re having trouble selling these cars. I was under the impression that they were in a situation where they simply couldn’t build them fast enough. Although perhaps demand has died down. But if not, well… if it ain’t broke.
02/15, 1:21 PM
posted by:
RagazzaCompetizione
<>
HAHA… like the Pumpe_Düse huh?, all these years of bull**** about how good it was and now VW and Audi are back to the future with the common rail you can find on the Tiguan, newest Passat, 2008 A4… whatever.
Mind you common rail is an italian (unijet&multijet turdo diesel JTD engines from Alfa Romeo) thing as opposed to the ‘is german, it has to be good’ credo.
<>
Actually you mean go downhill… right??
02/15, 1:22 PM
posted by:
RagazzaCompetizione
“Volkswagen, has some of the world’s best diesel technology”
HAHA… like the Pumpe_Düse huh?, all these years of bull**** about how good it was and now VW and Audi are back to the future with the common rail you can find on the Tiguan, newest Passat, 2008 A4… whatever.
Mind you common rail is an italian (unijet&multijet turdo diesel JTD engines from Alfa Romeo) thing as opposed to the ‘is german, it has to be good’ credo.
“my respect level would skyrocket for Bentley if they put diesels in their cars”
Actually you mean go downhill… right??
edit: damn silly wordpress…
02/15, 3:40 PM
posted by:
El Aleman
Well how about giving the next Continental GT the size and the bonnet it deserves, then they can even put a V16 Diesel in if they want.
I think a V12-Diesel is a good idea, everything else is too small. Including the Continental GT itself, its the size of a BMW 6series, which is about 2 segments below.
02/15, 9:25 PM
posted by:
autonut
VW/Audi 6 cylinders diesels are fairly smooth. Put one in the trunk one under hood and you have 12 cylinder 4 wheel drive with plenty of torque.
On more serious note 70% of BMW and Benzes are diesels so it is not a stretch for Bentley and Rolls to have diesel. I bet it will be difficult to detect difference. The higher cost of the engine is irrelevant since either Bentley or Rolls engines cost more then most of cars.