Bentley's boss has already confirmed the first Bentley SUV, but now he hints at what everyone has been thinking: what will power it? CEO Wolfgang Durheimer spells out a V12 TDI may be the SUV's heart and soul.
Durheimer said to Car Magazine that future Bentleys will take on diesel and hybrid technologies, and being that the SUV is in the works, it could possibly mean it may be the first to go into production with one of these powertrains.
VW is generally enthusiastic about TDI technology, which would seem to be natural fit for the Bentley SUV. Of course in today's sensitive climate and concern over carbon footprints, the Bentley ute could also possibly have the 4.2-liter V8 TDI if it does go diesel. If a gas engine is offered, it's likely to be the 2012 Continental GT's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8. A plug-in hybrid version may also be an option, complete with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The 44 crossover will share the same platform as the Porsche Cayenne/Volkswagen Touareg/Audi Q7, but Bentley hopes an aluminum spaceframe construction will shave off anywhere from 440-800 pounds compared to SUVs currently on the market.
The crossover will likely be priced higher than the already super-luxe Porsche Cayenne, which already breaks the bank at $106,000.
The code name for the luxo-SUV is the BY736. What do you think it should be named? What engine do you think it should have? Is the big turbodiesel twelve the right choice?