Goodbye, diesel Bentley. We never knew you.
That’s the current vibe coming out from the exotic automaker. Autocar reports that while a diesel Bentley has long been hinted at but Brian Gush, the marque’s powertrain chief, cites high cost and poor expected customer reaction as the main obstacles to an oil-burning future.
“The forthcoming Euro 6 clean-air regs are likely to pile some big costs on to diesels,” says Gush. “And there’s a strong prejudice against them in the U.S. and Japan, which are key markets for us. The attitude of Chinese buyers is going to have a big effect on cars like ours in [the] future, too, and they are none too keen.”
Diesel engines have been lauded for their durability, torque, and fuel economy benefits but carry a certain stigma in the States. Emissions mandates are especially tough on diesels, prompting many engine builders to utilize selective catalytic reduction to limit nitrous oxides. The SCR technology brings another layer of complexity and higher pricing to the diesel market.
Although a high-compression diesel isn’t in the Crewe-based brand’s immediate future, a gas-powered, rumored-to-be-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 remains under wraps. The new eight-cylinder is due next March.
via Autocar courtesy of Motor Trend Staff
