Bentley is all set to expand the engine lineup of its posh Bentayga SUV with the introduction of a hybrid powertrain – and we've already spotted the car out and about in testing. The Crewe-based luxury car builder has now confirmed that we will get to see the plug-in hybrid version of the car during the Geneva motor show in early March this year.
The drivetrain will be very similar to Porsche’s system in the Panamera e-Hybrid, which means it will use a 2.9-litre V6 supported by an electric motor for a total system output of around 462bhp. In the Panamera, the powerplant provides a range of 30 miles on purely electric energy, so look for similar numbers in the Bentayga, too.
The PHEV version will join the already available 6-litre W12 twin-turbo and the 4-litre V8 twin-turbo diesel. The hybrid will go on sale in the second quarter of the year and is expected to become one of the most preferred options on the U.S. market.
Around the same time the PHEV debuts, Bentley will also launch a new V8 petrol engine, likely a retuned version of Volkswagen Group's 4-litre twin-turbo motor. In the Porsche Cayenne it generates 550bhp and 568lb ft of torque, while in the Lamborghini Urus the peak power is 650bhp and 627lb ft.
The three luxury SUVs share the same MLB platform from the Volkswagen Group, so it won’t be too difficult for Bentley engineers to adapt the twin-turbo V8 engine for the requirements of the Bentayga. The same can be said for the hybrid powertrain, which is also expected to find its way under the hood of the new Italian super-SUV.
The Bentayga is already the best-selling model for Bentley and is expected to become even more popular with the new versions, that will add to the existing W12 and diesel-engined model that are currently on sale.
Gallery: Bentley Bentayga Plug-In Hybrid spy photos