Even though the Bentley W12 engine was discontinued in April 2024, it is still loved by many. Here are the key pros and cons ...

The W12 closes a chapter in Volkswagen Group's book, including one of the most well-engineered failures in automotive history.

Volkswagen offered the 4.0-liter Passat W8 4Motion, and Audi, the 6.0-liter A8 W12, whose engine went on to power the VW Phaeton, Bentley Continental GT and record-setting W12 Nardo.

Introduced more than two decades ago, the VW Group's W12 story is now over, so let's remember the five most impressive cars powered by the iconic engine.

Putting a W12 engine in a Golf is akin to slotting a jet engine in a go-kart. The car packed so much power that the glove box was reserved for a fire extinguisher.

VW later expanded on the idea with the W engine, which joined two VR engines at the crank to make W8, W12, and even Bugatti’s famous W16 engines.

The Bentley W12 Engine helped to build the brand's legacy, and the reliable engine evolved over time before finally being discontinued in 2024.

CoverEFX VW Touareg W12 – Click above for high-res image gallery CoverEFX, a tuner out of Erftstadt, Germany, has taken it upon itself to bless the VW Touareg W12 with a little extra horsepower ...

This test mule's 10-cylinder engine was created by connecting two narrow-angle V5 engines in the same way VW did with the Passat's W8 and the Phaeton's W12.

We're likely to see this new W12 engine in the Volkswagen Phaeton, the Bentley Continental range, and the Audi A8 among others.

The magnificent VW-designed W12 engine will be gone by April 2024, so I got a Bentley Continental GT Speed to celebrate the end of a W-shaped era.