When it comes to future Bentleys, we can safely assume they will stay traditionalist in offering stately styling and the world’s finest leathers, woods, and metals. But underhood, updated and cutting-edge technologies will help Bentleys achieve their characteristic fleetness and refinement, while also acknowledging global emissions and efficiency regulations and giving a slight nod to the environment. We sat down with CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer during the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and discussed what will drive his company—literally—in the future.
Twelve-Cylinder Engines are “Extremely Important” and “Sexy”
Let’s get this out of the way, however: Bentley will offer 12-cylinder motors for a long time to come. “I think it will become one of the cornerstones in the brand profile,” Dürheimer says. Besides, “a 12-cylinder engine is a sexy engine.” (We certainly won’t fight him on that point.) Dürheimer sees a commitment to 12-cylinders as an emerging selling point for Bentley’s well-heeled customer base moving forward, with other luxury brands downsizing to turbocharged six- and eight-cylinder engines. “It’s good to . . . offer our customers the dedication” to 12-cylinder grunt, he says. This should come as good news to Bentley enthusiasts who might have feared that the Continental’s W-12 might eventually be replaced altogether by the upcoming turbo V-8.
Bio-Fuels: “I’m Not Sure This Horse Pulls a Second Time”
Bentley has very publicly embraced bio-fuels, claiming customers and “experts” alike were happy with the results, but Dürheimer appears to realize the limitations of E85. He seemingly suggests the brand could be moving away from its use, perhaps forever. “It was a clever decision to focus on bio-fuels . . . The experts and the clients appreciate E85 because it doesn’t only give them the possibility to be environmentally responsible, but it [offers more power]. I like to get customers’ feedback about it, [and] they are going and pushing [for E85]. But after having this discussion about the E85 food chain and so on, bio-fuel’s first generation won’t [cut] it. Period.” While Dürheimer believes that a “second generation” of bio-fuel technology will be much better, he adds, “I’m not sure this horse pulls a second time.”
Hybrids: Bentley Plugs In
What, then, will reduce the carbon footprint of Bentley products? Hybrids—specifically, plug-in hybrids: “It might be wise to . . . also do hybrids,” said Dürheimer.” Here is where VW AG can help. “We’re lucky we are involved in a group that has technology in every corner. Every single technology that is available in the group is available to us.” Dürheimer also owes a further debt of gratitude to the mothership for being first-gen-hybrid guinea pigs: “We will jump over the first generation of hybrids and start with the plug-in hybrids,” he said.
How far should a plug-in Bentley travel on electricity alone? “I think 25 to 30 km [16 to 19 miles] is good,” he said. “Maybe in 20 years we will cover 100 km [62 miles]. For the time being, we won’t because nobody can afford the batteries and nobody wants to carry them around.” We’re relatively sure that more than a few Bentley customers could afford such a battery stack, but they are often the very individuals that care the least about carbon footprints.
Diesel: “Matches Perfectly with the Demands of a Bentley”
“I wouldn’t reject diesel. If you look at the torque curve of the 6.75-liter V-8, this is what we can have on [the diesel] side as well. If the new-generation diesels make no smoke, no noise, this matches perfectly with the demands of a Bentley, so why shouldn’t we take it? In Europe and some countries . . . [a very large] percent of new registrations are diesels.”
Dürheimer wants to make things happen. Quickly. “What we need in R&D is a high speed for adoption” of the various technologies. If we may make a suggestion: Once the Bugatti Veyron is replaced by the Galibier sedan, the VW Group will lack a world-conquering hyper-car. So let’s combine a bunch of the foregoing into a 12-cylinder, turbo-diesel, plug-in hybrid super-flagship Bentley sports car—and give that a high-speed of adoption.
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