Bentley has no plans to stop using V8s

Bentley hasn’t ruled out further adaptations of its new V8 hybrid petrol powertrain as it continues on its ‘Beyond 100 plus’ journey to only offer fully electric models by 2035. “Our V8 ultra-performance hybrid powertrain currently meets all market demands. Any new variants (we introduce) will depend on legislation in terms of electric driving range requirements and battery size” explained Dr. Frank-Steffan Walliser as he presented Bentley’s 2024 financial results in his new role as CEO.

2024 saw Bentley post its sixth consecutive year of operating profit – €373m from revenue of €2.64bn, the former figure representing a 37 per cent drop on the previous year’s results, itself a 17 per cent lower than in 2022. Despite this dip Bentley continues to be in the position to self finance its growth ambitions, including starting work on a new battery electric vehicle assembly line at the company’s Pyms Lane site in Crewe in preparation for its first all electric car, the Urban SUV that will be revealed in 2026 and go on sale in 2027.

A large proportion of Bentley’s revenue and profit comes from its customers' willingness to indulge themselves in the bespoke offerings of the firm’s Mulliner options. More than 70 per cent of customers choose a Mulliner bespoke option when ordering a Continental GT or Flying Spur in 2024, accounting for three times the spend compared to ‘regular’ options specified by Bentley customers. 

While 2024 also saw Bentley retire its W12 engine it also rolled out its new hybrid powered Continental GT and Flying Spur models, both initially only available in 771bhp Mulliner or Speed trim. Not that this hampered interest in the new models, with more demand in the model’s first four months on-sale than during its predecessor’s last 12 months on sale. Later in 2025, less powerful V8 hybrid variants will be launched, lowering the entry point to Bentley ownership and broadening the customer base once again. 

However, Bentayga customers looking forward to the new V8 hybrid powertrain being made available in the company’s SUV anytime soon will need to wait until at least 2027 for its arrival. The Bentayga was comprehensively facelifted in 2020 and an all-new ground-up replacement will be required to take both battery and PHEV powertrains. When quizzed on a V8 hybrid Bentayga arriving anytime soon, Walliser answered: “If you can imagine it, then so can I.” We’ll still have to wait though.

Between now and 2035 Bentley will launch or introduce a new or updated model every year, all will be electrified and all will continue to be sold globally; “If our cars are subject to tariffs, our customers will have to pay this cost,” explained the new CEO. As yet there are no plans to pull any Bentley models from markets that implement tariffs. 

The former Porsche man who brought the 918 Spyder to fruition is optimistically cautious around Bentley’s all-electric goals. The investment in the manufacturing and production facilities that will see the site’s oldest building, A1, transformed into a modern BEV assembly line at Pyms Lane, will remain flexible to match market demands and shifts in product demand, although lead times will be the deciding factor as to how quickly a change can be made to what goes down the line. “We have future proofed our investment for 25 years, we’re not building a facility for only one specific model” explained Walliser.  

“Our 100 Plus strategy takes into consideration the slowdown in BEV sales and demand” explains Dr Walliser. “(Demand) will come back; it was a bit bullish at the beginning,” is the CEO’s response when asked if the sales slow down and challenges other legacy brands are currently facing in the switch to EVs and the drop in sales is of concern. 

As with any car brand in the current climate, sales headwinds are all encompassing, no more so than in China. A drop in the luxury car market has been a concern for many, specifically those that operate in the premium-luxury sector. And while Bentley is not immune to strong challenges, it remains bullish about its outlook. “We have 50 per cent of market share in China and our retailers serve this market very well.

“Our clients in China like status, craftsmanship and heritage which Bentley has plenty of. We are not seeing demand for high-tech in our cars from China – or any market. But we won’t rest on this, it (in-car technology) will play an important role in the future that we have to be prepared for,” Walliser explained when asked about the world’s largest car market. 

“China is one of the most stable markets,” he added. “The regulations there are stable, they haven’t put an end date on ICE. This helps us and our clients.”

Bentley under its new CEO, who replaced Adrian Hallmark last year when he said yes to Lawrence Stroll’s offer to lead Aston Martin, also hasn’t put a stop to low-volume, high profit specials such as the Bacalar and Batur. “These super small volume cars are very important. The customers of these cars don’t just buy a special. They buy – and have – more than one Bentley.”

Between now and 2035 their choice of new Bentley models will be greater than ever.