Bentley to be centre of excellence for W12 engine production

Bentley has firmly reinforced its position as the world's largest producer of 12-cylinder engines after announcing its Crewe headquarters will become the centre of excellence for the Volkswagen Group for all W12 engine production from the end of 2014 onwards. With this decision, Bentley will export engines for the first time in its history, creating around 100 jobs across the business.

Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors, said, "This W12 centre of excellence is recognition of the long standing engine manufacturing expertise we have that has resulted in performance improvements across the model ranges over recent years. The production of this advanced engine and its future generations will bring new technologies and skills to Crewe."

The W12 engine is an advanced 12-cylinder high-performance engine in a unique 'W' configuration. The engine offers high levels of power and torque. Bentley expects to produce up to 9,000 engines per year at peak times.