| Author | Message | ||
     Robert Chapman Grand Master Username: shadow Post Number: 142 Registered: 5-2003 |
Does anyone know for absolutely certain if this engine is built at Crewe or supplied assembled by VW. | ||
| Mark Peacock Prolific User Username: takemehomejames Post Number: 45 Registered: 4-2004 |
Robert, i found this on a Bentley site and quote But the twin-turbocharged W12 Bentley engine for the Continental GT is, quite properly, built up from the base casting on site at Crewe. The engine's crankcase and an entire 'kit' of parts for each engine is mounted on an Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV), which is self-powered and equipped with laser-guidance tracking that follows defined black lines painted on the floor. The AGV visits each of the 16 assembly workstations in strict sequence, and remains at each for exactly 17 minutes. It thus takes four and a half hours to process and test a Bentley engine with a total assembly time of 15 hours per unit. Each engine is hand-built and the judgement of the skilled craftsmen who assemble it is used to select matched parts that balance exactly: crankshaft to main bearing, crankshaft to conrod bearing and crankcase to pistons. The DC electric power tools used to torque up the engine's fastening nuts and bolts are linked to the AGV and its on-board monitoring system. As each bolt is tightened in sequence by the engine craftsman, the DC power tool 'reports' back to the monitor that the correct torque has been achieved. There can be no possibility of 'missing' a fastener or failing to tighten it to the required torque - until the task is complete, the AGV will not move to the next station. Every Continental GT engine is first turned during a cold test to check that all is well, before being connected to the hot test rig and fired up for the first time. When production is under way each engine will be tested for at least two hours, with 10% of engine production being run for up to 48 hours under full power to validate the integrity of the assembly process. Sourced from http://www.bdc-texas.org/bcnews/042-03.shtml | ||
| Robert Chapman Grand Master Username: shadow Post Number: 143 Registered: 5-2003 |
Thanks Mark for finding that info, What do you recon about that " 15 hours total build time" to build that engine from scratch! Call me an old cynic but that doesn't sound right to me .I think the" entire kit " sounds like it could be a bit more pre-assembled than they are letting on. If I am reading it correctly they are saying the complete engine is built from"base castings" in 15 hours? I find that very difficult to believe,I dont believe that is possible with the old push rod V8 engine let alone a 12 cyl, 48 valve ,quod cam ,twin turbo. How long would it take to hand check every main bearing and big end clearance on a 12 cyl engine then select and gap 36 piston rings,12 piston clearances before you even get to the heads , timing chest and pluming. | ||
| Mark Peacock Prolific User Username: takemehomejames Post Number: 46 Registered: 4-2004 |
As they said in the movie "The Castle", tell em' his dreamin'. I think your right that there is a lot more to the pre assembled "Kit" than they let on. The ring gap alone would take me 2 hours !! But they must rely heavily on their process of the machining , or every single item must be checked back in Germany , prior to Crewe getting there clean hands on them !. I thought i had a lot of tools in my box , but where can i get my hand on one of the " DC electric power tools used to torque up the engine's fastening nuts and bolts" ..., and its on-board monitoring system. Im sure my local snap-on dealer would not have one on his truck !!.. | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 269 Registered: 9-2004 |
I have been informed today that the base engine castings are the supplied from Germany. The engine development was is all done at Crewe with all the parts manufactured and assembled there unless i have misunderstood,the shock price of the arm is to blame if so! | ||
| Robert Chapman Grand Master Username: shadow Post Number: 161 Registered: 5-2003 |
Patrick, I stand corected,I spoke to a client a few days ago who told me he had ordered a new Bentley GT convertable and had recently toured the factory and confirmed that they are actually assembling the complete engine in house. | ||
| Gordon Norris Prolific User Username: crewes_missile Post Number: 160 Registered: 2-2005 |
Unfortunately, much of the above is modern marketing spin-doctoring. Although the W12 is "built up on-site" this should read "is assembled on site from wholly German manufactured parts shipped as a kit to Crewe. The W12 was first introduced in the VW W12 supercar in about 2000 if memory serves me. It is also going into the new Audi A8 saloon, and of course the 16 cylinder version is the powerplant for the VW owned Bugatti Veyron.  Crikey, VW even sell it to a small volume Dutch supercar manufacturer by the name of Spyker for their "Turbie" supercar: see below: At this Shanghai Auto Show they made their Asian debut of the super souped-up 'C12 La Turbie' named after a mountain near Monte Carlo, where in 1922 Hugo Baron Pallandt won the coveted first prize, and first shown at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. Its powerful Audi W12 engine featured in the Bentley Continental GT has a top speed of 325 km/h with an acceleration speed of 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Aimed at male entrepreneur customers between the age of 35 - 55 Spyker is proud to offer the performance of a Ferrari and the class of an Aston Martin with a naturally steep price tag to boot. The interior is lush with quality leather, rich stitchings, crafted aluminium fittings, and plenty of bling status!  So, all in all the W12 is not so special or unique to the Bentleys...a magnificent engine sure enough, but one that has already been distributed beyond the marque and likely will continue to be so de-valued in my opinion. Bitter about VW taking over?...nah...whatever gives you that idea??   GN. | ||
| Robert Wort Grand Master Username: robert_wort Post Number: 198 Registered: 12-2004 |
Know what you mean Gordon. At least the 'badge-engineered' Bentley of R-R was British. The new ones are no more than proprietry powerplants. |
