VW reveals new W12 engine – looks set to debut in the Bentley Bentayga SUV

Volkswagen has revealed new engines at the Vienna Motor Symposium, with a newly refined 6.0 litre W12 for luxury models and a 3-cylinder with 272bhp.

Most car makers are eschewing engines with a high cylinder count, preferring to move to fewer cylinders and forced induction to satisfy increasingly stringent (and misdirected) CO2 emission targets from legislators. But not Volkswagen.

VW has revealed a new 6.0 litre W12 engine at the Vienna Motor Symposium this week that’s heading for use in VW’s next Phaeton, Audi’s top-end A8 and Bentley’s GT Series – including, we’re sure, the new Bentayga SUV.

VW proclaims the new 6.0 litre W12 TSI as “…the most economical 12 cylinder engine in the luxury car segment” thanks to an integration of both Audi’s FSI direct injection and Bentley’s TMPI multi-point injection, APS coating on the bores, cylinder deactivation and stop start, and VW also make it clear this new W12 has an oil circuit suitable for off-road use. Perfect for the Bentayga.

It even gets its own ‘active suspension’ with hydraulic mounts for smoother running and emits a lowly (for a 6.0 litre W12) 250g/km, which equates to official economy around 27mpg using the daft official system and is best taken with a pinch of – it will still make any car using it subject to the top BIK band.

New VW 270bhp three-cylinder petrol engine too

Volkswagen has also revealed a new engine at the other end of the scale from the new W12, with a tiny 3-cylinder engine delivering a huge 270bhp and 200lb/ft of torque, thanks to technology coming from the Polo WRC car.

It uses a electric e-booster and monoscroll turbocharger to develop the huge amount of power from such a tiny engine, leading VW’s Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neußer to comment: “A nice example of just how much potential combustion engines still have in them”.

We couldn’t agree more.