Bentley is preparing petrol-powered replacements for the Bentayga, Continental GT and Flying Spur, shifting away from the all-EV plan it had announced earlier. The move follows a major strategy change at Porsche last week.
Bentley’s Beyond100 plan originally set the brand on a path to eliminate petrol engines by 2035. That timeline has now been adjusted as part of a wider Volkswagen Group rethink. Porsche recently confirmed a €3.1 billion investment to prolong the life of its combustion cars, including new range-topping versions of the next 718 Boxster and Cayman. It also shelved plans to launch its ‘K1’ flagship as an EV. Audi, another VW Group brand, had already stepped away from its all-electric by 2033 goal last year.
Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser told Autocar that because Bentley shares platforms, drivetrains and components with Porsche and Audi, decisions made in Stuttgart and Ingolstadt directly impact Crewe.
Walliser confirmed that Bentley will still roll out a new plug-in hybrid or electric model every year from 2026, starting with its first EV, described as an urban SUV. But with Porsche and Audi continuing to develop ICE technology, Bentley now has the flexibility to keep pure-petrol versions of its core models for longer. That means successors to the Bentayga, Continental GT and Flying Spur will remain available with combustion engines, something particularly important for customers in regions such as the Middle East and North America. Initially, those models were only set to come with hybrid or electric powertrains.
Explaining the shift, Walliser pointed to a slowdown in demand for luxury EVs. He said customers aren’t yet ready to move entirely to electric power, and that Bentley needs to align its strategy with what buyers actually want. He stressed that electrification remains the brand’s ultimate objective, but it must be done at a pace customers are comfortable with.
At the same time, Bentley’s investment in its Crewe site continues, with work underway on a new EV assembly line, paint shop and design centre. The company had already delayed its target to go fully electric from 2030 to 2035, citing weaker luxury EV demand. With the Volkswagen Group now committing billions to extend the lifespan of combustion engines, Bentley’s revised approach looks firmly backed at the top.