More than 100,000 W12s have been produced since the engine was introduced in the original Continental GT in 2003. To mark this special occasion, a commemorative lunch for the W12 assembly and R&D teams was held at Bentley's Heritage Garage in Crewe. Guests then gathered to form part of a W12 portrait photograph in the Pyms Lane Plaza. Assembly colleagues were also presented with the gift of a commemorative W12 engine piston to cherish the moment.

The 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 will be replaced with an all-new, performance-focused powertrain to mark the start of a new era for the company. That Hybrid will combine a V8 combustion engine with battery technology. 'Electrocharging' uses a potent hybrid system and builds further on Bentley's existing petrol-electric powertrains. Every model in the Bentley range will become available with the new electrified powertrain. The unit develops more power than the retiring W12, combined with a WLTP drive cycle CO2 figure of 50 g/km.