Bentley Bentayga may offer a gas V8 option by July 2018

Today, buyers of the sought after Bentley Bentayga can get the vehicle with either a 6.0 liter biturbo W12 or a 4.0 liter diesel fueled V8, with an electrically driven supercharger and two turbos.

Auto Motor und Sport, a German publication however stated that the automaker will soon offer a gas-fueled V8 to the range in July next year. We are currently taking this statement as a rumour now because the publication did not share any details regarding their source.

If the rumour is true, then it would probably be the Volkwagen Group’s 4.0 liter biturbo engine in the Porsche Cayenne that will be installed into the Bentayga. That said engine produces as much as 550 horsepower (410 kilowatts) and 568 pound-feet (770 Newton metres) of torque. The Lamborghini Urus actually comes equipped with the same engine, but produces 650 horsepower (484 kilowatts) and 627 pound-feet (850 Newton-metres) of torque instead. All the said models sit on the same MLB platform, and that being said, it shouldn’t be a problem for Bentley’s engineers to fit the engine in.

If Bentley does push through with this, and that is to offer the Bentayga with a V8 engine, this simply means the existence of a more affordable version of the Bentayga. Like the Cayenne, the less powerful version of the powerplant is still full of power, though less than the existing 6.0 liter biturbo W12’s 600 horsepower (447 kilowatts) and 664 pound-feet (900 Newton-metres).

Apart from a V8 option, Bentley also shared that they are considering a plug-in hybrid Bentayga that is on the way. Being a hybrid, it will likely share the same platform as the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. However, both models may have different specs. For instance, the Panamera comes equipped with a biturbo 2.9 liter V6 together with an electric motor that carries out 462 horsepower (340 kilowatts) and 517 pound feet (700 Newton metres). Overall, its lithium ion battery has enough juice to drive the Panamera for 31 miles (51 kilometers), but we think that this figure might be lower in the Bentley Bentayga.

So for those who are not keen on getting the Bentagya’s current W12 engine or the 4.0 liter diesel-fueled V8, then good news for you as soon, we might see it running on a V8 engine. The best part is that it will likely be more affordable too. And as mentioned earlier, Bentley will likely have a hybrid version of the Bentayga too, which is perfect for those who want to go green. The only question right now is when this will happen