All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Bentley is giving up on the W12 engine

The news that Bentley is abandoning the W12 engine is now official. This was confirmed by the company saying that from April 2024 this type of engine will not power their cars. This decision is not a surprise because Bentley announced two years ago that, from the next decade, it will produce only electric cars.

It all started 20 years ago when the Continental GT Coupé was revealed, and the 6.0L turbo W12 engine currently powers more than 105,000 Bentleys produced. The last model to be powered by this engine, which will have the honor of closing a period of time in the production of powerful engines, will be a limited edition Bentley Batur.

“When we first launched the W12 back in 2003, we knew we had a powerful engine that would propel both our cars and brand forwards at speed. Twenty years and more than 100,000 W12s later, the time has come to retire this now-iconic powertrain as we take strides towards electrification – but not without giving it the best send-off possible with the most powerful version of the engine ever created,” said Bentley chairman Adrian Hallmark.

Bentley Batur will be powered by a 6.0L twin-turbo W12 engine with 740 hp (551 kW) and 737 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque. Power is transmitted to all wheels via an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Delivery of the last Bentley with a W12 engine is expected in mid-2023, and only 18 units will be produced. All the cars have already been sold at a price of 2 million dollars.

Gallery:

Bentley is giving up on the W12 engine

Source: Bentley

News, Tuning

Manhart Formentor CP 500 based on Cupra Formentor VZ5

The German tuner Manhart has shown that it is one of the best in the world, especially when it comes to brands like VW, BMW, Audi or Tesla. Their latest work is the Manhart Formentor CP 500, based on the Cupra Formentor VZ5.

It is a high-performance SUV, and the first photos show that Manhart engineers have created a powerful beast. Under the hood is a 2.5-liter five cylinder engine with 490 hp (360 kW) and 465 lb-ft (630 Nm) of torque. As a reminder, the Cupra Formentor VZ5 has 390 hp (287 kW), and the increase in power was achieved thanks to the use of the MHtronik powerbox. Power is sent to all wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The car is finished in black with gold stripes on both sides of the car as well as the entire length of the body. It is equipped with a set of 20-inch black Cocave One rims, a new exhaust system with valve control and dual pipes on both sides that replaces the factory ones, while there are no aerodynamic improvements yet, but that does not mean that there won’t be some in the future.

The company announced that it will soon offer Stage 2, which will include a new intercooler, air intake and a new remapping of the ECU unit, which means more power (at least 600 hp).

Source: Manhart

News

VW T7 Multivan suitable for adventurers

The Volkswagen T7 Multivan currently coexists with the T6 generation, and the German tuner Delta 4×4 offers owners of this vehicle a special equipment package, especially suitable for adventurers such as cyclists, canoeists or surfers. This is not the first modification this tuner has done, last year they introduced the all-terrain Tesla Model Y.

The tuner equipped the van with specially adapted Bilstein shock absorbers and Eibach harnesses, thanks to which the T7 Multivan is 40 mm higher than the standard van, with extended wheel arches, and the bodywork is done in two colors, with the roof and the upper half of the sides in black colors. A 76mm thick stainless steel front rack is fitted, available in body color or matte black. There is also a roof rack on which equipment for outdoor activities can be placed.

At the end of 2021, Delta 4X4 presented this spacious and practical car. With the familiar petrol and diesel engine, the offer has been expanded to a plug-in hybrid version with a 1.4-liter turbo petrol engine which, combined with an electric motor, produces 218 hp (160 kW). The T7 Multivan is mounted on 18-inch reinforced rims wrapped in 255/55 off-road tires.

Gallery:

VW T7 Multivan suitable for adventurers

Source: Delta 4X4