More news about Bentley being slowly dragged, kicking and screaming, into this whole eco-awareness deal. This time, it seems that the next iteration of their Arnage will be available with a diesel mill under its expansive hood.
It has long been rumored that Bentley is interested in diesel engines. Bentley is caught between a rock and a hard place, engineering-wise. Their cars weigh many, many tons, yet there are increasing environmental demands, which usually means smaller engines. Smaller engines will not do for Bentley, so, enter the diesel. An oil-burner would enable the boys from Crewe to continue offering the kind of performance for which they are known, while improving fuel economy, and also cut down on pollutants with the latest developments in particulate filter technology.
Bentley corporate sibling Audi, which has carved out a nice niche for itself in diesel propulsion, seems to be a match made in motor heaven; just look what Audi did to Help Lambo work out its production & management kinks. So, now reports suggest that at long last, an Audi diesel is set to be installed in the next Arnage sedan.
The rumored diesel is a V12 turbo-diesel used in the current Audi Q7 TDI, cranking out 500 horsepower and a foundation shifting 738 lb-ft of torque, perfect for what Brits call “a big saloon.” Of course if it was up to me, I’d like to see Audi cram that into one of its S3s, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. A diesel V12 of that capability would fit quite nicely under the stylish hood of a Bentley.
Source: AutoBlog
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