Bentley has secret CO2 plans

The company wants to combine luxury and high-performance hallmarks with massive cuts in emissions.

Bentley is on a technology roll. With annual sales of 10,000 cars, it is a small company, but its product range incorporates some of the highest performance and most luxurious cars in the world. And now its Board of Management has pledged that its models will produce an average of 15% less CO₂ by 2012. The company is also planning a new powertrain by 2012 that will bring a 40% saving in CO₂ emissions.

How is such a massive reduction to be achieved? “If I told you now, that would only spoil the surprise when it comes,” quipped Engineering Director Ulrich Eichhorn. But he gave some hints.