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Bentley's Ultra Performance Hybrid succeeds the 6.0-liter W12

The twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 engine composed the soundtrack to dreams around the world once it found a home in the Bentley Continental GT, which entered a production in 2003. That engine will sing its final encore in the Bentley Batur Convertible before the curtain comes down, tuned to its highest-ever output of 739 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. The Englanders in Crewe have lifted the hood on the successor, without providing all the details. What we know for now is that the powerplant debuting this summer is called the Ultra Performance Hybrid, a V8 PHEV with "more than 750 PS combined output" and an all-electric range of 50 miles on the WLTP cycle.   We haven't been given a displacement figure, nor did Bentley use the word "turbo" in its release. However, looking around the Volkswagen Group, the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 PHEV in the Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid and Lamborghini Urus SE seems a solid fit for this application. We're told to expect "the highest output ever offered in a Bentley," Since the 740 hp in the droptop Batur equals 750 PS — achieved without electrical assistance — there's reason to hope for something closer to 800 hp than 750. The Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid makes a combined 670 hp and 680 lb-ft, the Urus SE a combined 800 hp and 699 lb-ft. Both of them also hide a 25.9-kWh battery. [video width="2000" height="720" mp4="https://s.aolcdn.com/os/ab/_cms/2024/05/09084632/bentley-hybrid-sound.mp4"][/video] In the Bentley, the e-motors will also spread torque across a wider swath of the rev band than the non-hybrid W12. The company released a short sound clip, and yep, this things sounds like a Bentley engine, from purr to growl never leaving the basso profondo range. The Ultra Performance Hybrid will take its place at the top of the Bentayga, Continental GT, and Flying Spur ranges before the summer ends. We find out closer to that time what happens to the other engines on the menu, the twin-turbo 4.0-liter non-hybrid V8 and the twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter and 3.0-liter V6 plug-in hybrids for the Flying Spur and Bentayga, respectively. 

Ducati Diavel for Bentley is the first collaboration between the brands

Sister companies Ducati and Bentley have joined forces for the first time to create a limited-edition version of the Diavel motorcycle. Inspired by the Batur, which is also a limited-edition model, the bike stands out with an elegant design that incorporates several Bentley styling cues. Although this is the first time Bentley's winged logo appears on a Ducati, it's not the first car-themed Diavel to come out of the Italian brand's design studio; it collaborated with Lamborghini on a Sian FKP 37-inspired 1260 Diavel in November 2020. Drawing inspiration from the sold-out Batur, designers added mesh inserts and red accents to the side air intakes, edition-specific fairing made with carbon fiber, and forged wheels shaped like the ones Bentley put on its limited-edition coupe. Scarab Green paint from the Bentley palette completes the look. The rider sits on an Alcantara-upholstered seat with red accents that echoes the Batur's interior and faces a redesigned instrument cluster. Ducati notes that buyers will receive the bike in a personalized wood case along with a certificate of authenticity, a motorcycle cover, and a passenger seat. The two companies also collaborated on a range of accessories that includes a helmet and a limited-edition jacket. Fitting the Diavel with Bentley's 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine seemingly wasn't an option, so power comes from a stock, 1.2-liter V4 rated at 168 horsepower and 93 pound-feet of torque. If neither figure sounds impressive, keep in mind the standard Diavel weighs 520 pounds. Put another way, its power-to-weight ratio approaches that of a Bugatti Chiron. It's the two-wheel equivalent of a supercar. Ducati will build 500 units of the Diavel for Bentley. If that's not rare enough, it will make 50 additional examples of a version named Diavel for Bentley Mulliner that's reserved for Bentley customers. They'll notably have a broader scope of customization options to choose from. Featured Gallery Ducati Diavel for Bentley View 29 Photos Design/Style Bentley Motorcycle Luxury Performance

2022 Bentley Continental GT Mulliner steps to the top of the line

The shifting in the lineups coming out of Crewe continues with the reveal of the Bentley Continental GT Mulliner. The English luxury maker introduced the most recent GT Mulliner two years ago when there were still a 626-horsepower standard W12 and a 650-horsepower GT Speed. With the GT Speed now the only W12, the introduction of the indulgent Azure trim "for those prioritizing wellbeing and on-board comfort," and the arrival of the coming V8-powered S models, the new Mulliner steps in at the head of the pack. Starting from the bottom, the current Continental Range is the V8, Azure, S, Speed, and Mulliner. What does a buyer get with the flagship Conti? The GT Speed chassis dressed in Mulliner jewelry and coachwork. The 6.0-liter W12 makes 650 horses and 664 pounds of twist, clocking 3.5 seconds from standstill to 60 miles per hour, acceleration unwilling to relent until 208 miles per hour. Dynamism at less furious speeds benefits from adaptive dampers, an electronic limited-slip differential on the rear axle, all-wheel steering, and brake-based torque vectoring.  The cosmetic package is effectively handed down from the previous version, which we can't find fault with. The double diamond matrix grille stands proud up front, wearing either bright chrome or the Mulliner Blackline Specification gloss black. The are also specific 22-inch Mulliner wheels, satin silver mirror caps shrouding Mulliner welcome lamps, and illuminated treadplates. The interior picks up unique three-way colorways that rearrange the way primary, secondary, and tertiary colors are split throughout the cabin. Mulliner offers eight standard combinations all lashed up with diamond quilting, paired with 88 choices in Piano wood veneers and heaps of thread options for the contrast and accent stitching. Gauges in the digital instrument cluster have been designed with a technical finish to go along with the diamond milling on the center console. Even the occupants' feet get treated to floor mats edged in complementary piping. Overhead, roofs without the panoramic glass get trimmed with indented hide, roofs with the glass top get smooth hides. For now, the Continental GT V8 Mulliner remains available. The new model debuted at the Goodwood Festival of Speed along with the S trim and the first historic Blower Continuation, called Blower Car Zero, and it can all be livestreamed here.