Bentley's V8 engine turns 50

Bentley Brookland's V8 Engine

First introduced in the 1959 S2 Continental

By Michael Gauthier
January 21, 2009 5:24 PM
Filed Under: Bentley, Classics, European, Production

Bentley's storied V8 engine is turning a remarkable 50 years old and like a fine wine, the engine keeps getting better with age.

The engine was originally introduced in the 1959 Bentley S2 Continental and thanks to continual development it is still used today in the Arnage, Azure, and Brooklands. As trustee of the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation states "today's engine is true to the original design. However, it has achieved power and torque increases of over 150 percent through the skilful introduction of fuel injection, turbocharging and intercooling technologies whilst remaining compliant with the latest emissions standards. It is an extraordinary engineering story spanning five decades which deserves to be celebrated."

In the Brooklands the 6.75-liter V8 engine is rated at 530bhp and an outstanding 1050 Nm (774 lb-ft) of torque. With all that power under the hood, the massive coupe can reach 0-60 mph in just 5 seconds while the top speed is 184 mph.

50 years is an outstanding lifespan for any engine but with fuel economy and emissions regulations becoming harder and harder to meet, we could be seeing the last few years of the classic V8. Expect the end to come with Bentley launches their replacement for the Arnage in the coming year.

Source: Bentley

Press Release (Click to expand)

Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn, Member of the Board for Engineering at Bentley Motors, will chart the progress of one of the world's most remarkable and enduring automotive engines at the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation lecture on January 22nd.

Fifty years after its introduction in the iconic Bentley S2 Continental, Bentley's V8 engine continues to power the company's powerful, flagship luxury motor cars including the 530bhp Bentley Brooklands coupe, the Arnage and Azure convertible models in 2009.

“The Bentley V8 is a prime example of how a well executed original design has endured and evolved under the right guardianship. We look forward to hearing Ulrich's views on how an engine first built in 1959 has been improved by generations of Bentley engineers,” comments John Lowe from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and a trustee of the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation.

“Today's engine is true to the original design. However, it has achieved power and torque increases of over 150 per cent through the skilful introduction of fuel injection, turbocharging and intercooling technologies whilst remaining compliant with the latest emissions standards. It is an extraordinary engineering story spanning five decades which deserves to be celebrated.”

As engineering director Dr. Eichhorn has overseen the development of the potential of the Bentley V8 and this includes the introduction of the engine in its most potent form in the Bentley Brooklands coupe. Hand-built at the company's Crewe headquarters, the 6¾ litre Bentley V8 engine powering the Bentley Brooklands generates 1050 Nm/774 lb.ft of torque at 3250rpm and is capable of offering a top speed of 184mph as well as a 0-60mph sprint time of just 5 seconds.

Since joining Bentley Motors in 2003, Dr. Eichhorn has also overseen the introduction of the 6 litre W12 engine in the company’s Continental range. Earlier this month, Bentley Motors launched the Continental GTC Speed, the world’s fastest four-seat convertible, at the Detroit Motor Show.

The 2009 Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation Lecture is organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMecheE), which has over 80,000 members and a 160-year heritage, the lecture will be held at 1 Birdcage Walk, Westminster (Thursday, 22nd January).

Full details of Dr. Eichhorn's lecture will also be available at www.imeche.org/playback.

email print digg facebook fark reddit delicious myspace

Tags: Bentley V8, 1959 S2 Continental, S2 Continental, Bentley Arnage, Arnage, Bentley Azure, Bentley Brooklands, Azure, Brooklands, 6.75-liter V8 engine, 6.75-liter, V8, engine

Related Photo Albums

Bentley Brooklands (35 photos)

Comments

Bristol411S3

January 21, 2009 5:42 PM

This engine was declared dead long ago, just after the German's took the helm at Crewe. After a backlash Bently was forced to re-introduce the engine in the Arnage Red Label and it has turned into the mainstay of the larger model range since. It will be a shame to see it go when the time comes, as it inevitably will.

lucifa

January 21, 2009 6:07 PM

i love that engine; it's a true hark back to the days when nobody gave a damn about the environment, when all that mattered was ludicrous torque in a massive luxury sedan/coupe

sub39h

January 21, 2009 6:17 PM

i'm a massive fan of British engineering (being, as I am, British) but this engine isn't that spectacular! Think of what Mercedes can do with smaller engines! As much as 525 bhp from an N/A 6.2 litre V8, or 1100Nm (limited to 1000Nm in production) of torque from their 6.0 bi-turbo. this engine should be replaced with an engine that big Bentleys truly deserve (and that does NOT mean a Volkswagen W12!)

BENZian

January 22, 2009 7:00 AM

I totally agree with sub39h previous comments. BMW also had a problem when they installed one of their V12s into Rolls Royce models...the BMW engines lacked torque and failed to move the rich in the manner to which they had grown accustomed. The MB/AMG 6.2 litre V8 engine is a master class in engine building. The only downside I see...is that when thy add twin turbos to the 6.2 it will render V10s and V12 irrelevant except as status symbols...

NISMO

January 21, 2009 6:55 PM

A testament to push rod motors everywhere!