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[SmartCar News] At Bentley, the era of the W12 engine has come to an end. The last 6.0-liter 12-cylinder engine was recently assembled by technicians at the Crewe plant. To mark this moment, the Bentley team gathered together for a special lunch to review the 21-year history of this iconic engine.

Bentley W12 engine

This 6.0-liter engine, developed by Volkswagen, first entered production in the Audi A8 in 2001. However, a Bentley version of this engine was introduced in 2003 in theEurope（parameter丨picture) GT and added a pair of turbochargers. Over the next two decades, the engine was used in every Bentley model and was continuously developed to achieve higher power. Initially, it had 552 horsepower, and now in the stunning Batur model, the engine's output has been increased to 740 horsepower.

Although production of the W12 engine has ended, the engine isn't going away overnight. Bentley says it's the most successful 12-cylinder engine of the modern era, with more than 100,000 produced since 2003. Built by splicing two V6 engines together, the W12's staggered cylinder layout makes it significantly shorter than a traditional V-12.

Bentley Batur models equipped with this engine

"The W12 engine has propelled our cars and our business forward at an extraordinary pace and will go down in history as one of the most significant innovations in our illustrious history," said Dr Matthias Rabe, member of Bentley's Research and Development Board. "Today marks the end of a development journey and our Research and Development and Manufacturing colleagues should be extremely proud of their work over the years."

The replacement for Bentley's flagship engine is a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter hybrid V8. The electric motor is mounted between the engine and the transmission, with a total output of 779 horsepower. The engine will be launched later this year with the 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed.