Dr Ulrich Eichhorn’s lecture will cover the original design and development of the Bentley V8 engine, from its introduction in 1959, in their S2 model, through to its present day form in the newly launched Bentley Brooklands coupe.

With contributions from several senior figures involved with the engine’s evolution over the last 50 years, the talk will describe how a well thought out concept and its careful execution have carried the design through to 2009, while other contemporaries have long since fallen by the wayside.

The talk will detail how this iconic design continues to power its 4th generation of flagship luxury motorcars half a century on, having gained power and torque increases of over 150% through a combination of displacement increases, fuel injection, turbocharging and intercooling whilst simultaneously remaining compliant with the latest European and US emissions limits.