Hybrid power might be an option for Bentleys of the future, particularly the upcoming luxury SUV!

The bespoke luxury brand Rolls Royce took to electric propulsion when it unveiled the Phantom 102EX electric powered limousine last year as an all electric concept. Rolls Royce’s competitor Bentley could follow suit, albeit with a hybrid option sometime in the future. That is what Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer, has had to say when questioned about the brand’s future with hybrid propulsion options.

A speculative render of the upcoming Bentley luxury SUV

Bentley is now owned by the Volkswagen group and the luxury brand will soon enter the luxury SUV segment, a segment that it has never ventured into so far. The Bentley luxury SUV will be powered by a W12 cylinder engine and is said to retain all the luxurious trappings associated with Bentley’s range of luxury saloons. While this will be true for the top end flagship models, the base variants could do with V8 engines.

It is here that the option for a hybrid engine comes to the fore. According to Durheimer, the V8 petrol engine for the SUV could be borrowed from Audi and this engine could be mated to an electric motor to complete the hybrid powerplant. This engine already does duty in he Bentley continental. The plug-in hybrid is also said to have an all electric range of 40 kilometers, showcasing Bentley’s “commitment” to producing cars that also care for the environment.

Bentley heading into hybrid territory will see the brand using plenty of stuff from Volkswagen group companies’ parts bin to keep a tight leash on costs. All said, Bentley’s board is yet to give the go ahead for hybrid power and until then, Bentley’s hybrid plans cannot be confirmed as a certainty. So, there you have it, plans of Bentley’s future models, particularly the luxury SUV embracing hybrid power. Watch this space for confirmation of Bentley’s hybrid plans.

Via IOLMotoring

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