LONDON -- Bentley will use electrically boosted turbocharging to lift power in the forthcoming diesel version of its Bentayga luxury crossover, a lead engineer in the company confirmed.
Bentley will use the same technology, also known as e-charging, that Audi will debut on a vehicle next year, expected to be a high-performance version of the new Q7 large crossover. It's not known whether the admission by the Volkswagen Group, which owns Audi and Bentley, that it cheated in U.S emissions tests will alter the timetable for introducing the technology.
Bentley already is testing prototype versions of the diesel Bentayga, lead engineer Peter Guest confirmed to Automotive News at the Frankfurt auto show in September.
Bentley hasn't given a timetable for the diesel introduction nor has it said if it will be available in the U.S.
No engine size has been revealed either, but last year, Audi demonstrated the technology on an RS 5 coupe using a version of the 3.0-liter TDI available in the A6 in the U.S and lifting power to 385 hp. The e-charger also improves driveability on diesels by boosting torque low down in the rev range.
E-charging has been made possible thanks to the introduction of the 48-volt electric system in the Bentayga. The more powerful setup is needed to supply the 7 to 8 kilowatts of power the e-charger needs and also is used for the car's "active roll control" dynamic ride system that can decouple the anti-roll bars for a smoother ride. "We needed 48V to get the reaction times [for the dynamic ride system]," Bentley sales head Kevin Rose said at the Frankfurt show.
The Bentayga goes on sale in the U.S staring early next year with a starting price of $229,100. It is powered by a twin-turbo, 12-cylinder gasoline engine making 608 hp.
