Porsche files new W12 engine patent, but this isn’t a usual 12 cylinder

The auto world loves a farewell moment. Bentley made sure of that when it rolled out the final W12-powered Mulliner Batur, signing off an engine that became a symbol of excess and craftsmanship. Most assumed that was the end of Volkswagen Group’s W-engine story, a respectful curtain call before electrification took over. Turns out, someone in Stuttgart wasn’t quite ready to close that book.

A recent patent filing from Porsche, now publicly available, suggests that the brand is experimenting with a fresh take on the W12 layout. Not a nostalgic revival, but a technical reimagining. The documents don’t read like a tribute; they read like an engineering challenge.

Instead of the traditional twin-V arrangement familiar from the Bentley motor, Porsche’s blueprint shows three distinct cylinder banks coming together in a sharply defined W formation. The layout is compact, layered and clearly designed with thermal efficiency and packaging in mind, things you don’t obsess over unless you're building a high-output engine for a very specific purpose.

Not your grandfather’s W12

What stands out is the way the intake system is described. Porsche positions an air plenum right above the cylinder heads, allowing a direct path for airflow, almost a vertical drop straight into the combustion chambers. In performance engineering terms, that means less heat soak, reduced travel distance for intake air and a cleaner separation from the exhaust channels.

Instead of the traditional twin-V arrangement familiar from the Bentley motor, Porsche’s blueprint shows three distinct cylinder banks coming together in a sharply defined W formation.

Share Via

Instead of the traditional twin-V arrangement familiar from the Bentley motor, Porsche’s blueprint shows three distinct cylinder banks coming together in a sharply defined W formation.

And here’s where it gets interesting, the housing leaves room for potentially three turbo or superchargers. That's not an evolution of the old Bentley twin-turbo setup; that’s a different mindset altogether. It suggests Porsche isn't just tinkering with packaging, it's chasing response, boost control and airflow precision.

A signal, not yet a product

However, this isn’t a production confirmation. At a time when most brands are busy calculating battery densities and charge curves, Porsche is quietly investing engineering hours into a multi-bank internal combustion layout.

There’s another layer here, the filing mentions the architecture could scale beyond 12 cylinders. That opens the door to speculation. Bugatti successor powertrain? Track-focused hypercar platform? Or simply safeguarding innovation before regulations lock the door on new combustion formats?

Nonetheless, the emotional side of this is hard to ignore. With electrification gaining speed, engines like the W12 are becoming artefacts of a different design philosophy, engines built not just for transport, but for presence. A new W configuration from Porsche wouldn’t just be a technical statement. It would be a cultural one.

Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape.