Bentley is expected to add two more powertrain options for the Bentayga this 2018. The luxury SUV will reportedly receive a gasoline V8 engine followed by the arrival of a plug-in electric vehicle (PHEV) variant.
The Bentley Bentayga is currently available with either a 6.0-liter W12 engine that produces 600 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque or a 4.0-liter diesel V8 that produces 429 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. However, the latter is not available in the United States because Bentley's parent company, the Volkswagen Group, decided not to offer diesel powertrains in the country.
According to Auto Motor Und Sport, the luxury SUV lineup will be receiving a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged gasoline V8 engine sometime in July. In the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, this powertrain produces 550 horsepower and 567 pound-feet of torque. In the Lamborghini Urus, on the other hand, the engine churns out 650 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque.
All three vehicles share the MLB platform so the gasoline V8 engine will be perfectly suited for Bentley's luxury SUV. However, in the Bentayga, the engine's performance will be closer to the Cayenne Turbo than the Urus so as not to step on the toes of the W12 variant.
Following the addition of the gasoline V8 engine, Bentley is also expected to release a plug-in hybrid variant of the Bentayga. The British automaker has not officially confirmed its arrival, but the fuel-efficient version of the luxury SUV has already been spotted testing on public roads.
The Bentayga PHEV will reportedly use another Porsche-sourced powertrain. This time, it will be the 3.0-liter supercharged V8 engine and electric motor of the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. In the latter, the powertrain produces 462 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. The fuel-efficient vehicle's 14.1 kWh battery is able to provide an all-electric driving range of 31 miles.
The addition of these two powertrains will provide lower price points for the Bentley Bentayga. It may also increase the luxury SUV's appeal to customers, although sales are already quite successful at this time.
