Wanderlust

Tag: Batur

  • Bentley Batur Convertible Makes Public Debut in Dubai

    Bentley Batur Convertible Makes Public Debut in Dubai

    • Bentley Motors unveils Batur Convertible at an exclusive launch event in Dubai 
    • Handcrafted by Mulliner, Bentley’s bespoke division, it is the third coachbuilt Bentley of the modern era
    • An evolution of Bentley’s DNA, capturing the essence of open-air Grand Touring in a progressive design born from Batur
    • Each example is one of the last ever Bentleys to use the iconic 750PS W12 engine
    • Follows the two-door Bacalar barchetta and Batur coupe

    [source: Bentley]

    Dubai, UAE –  The Batur Convertible, the third coachbuilt Bentley of the modern era, has made its global debut at an exclusive event held in Bab Al Shams in Dubai, UAE. 

    With only 16 individually numbered cars being produced, the Batur Convertible is a true collector’s piece. Each will feature the most potent iteration of Bentley’s iconic W12 engine, a 750 PS, hand-assembled 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged masterpiece set to end production this summer, making this one of the last Bentleys to ever house this legendary powertrain. Beyond its extraordinary performance, the Batur Convertible offers limitless personalisation, with every detail tailored to reflect the vision and individuality of its owner.

    Design details

    The exterior of the Batur Convertible Engineering Car, currently in Dubai, is another demonstration of the art of the possible with the Mulliner Bespoke Studio. It is a showcase of dynamic colour transitions and high-performance materials, brought to life through its Midnight Emerald exterior paint and High Gloss Carbon Fibre finishes. At the front, the grille stands out with a bold Satin Dark Titanium finish throughout, with the exception of the grille matrix, where a Gloss Mandarin to Gloss Beluga fade creates a striking visual transition.

    At the heart of this bold exterior is the distinctive Batur Racing Stripe, finished in Gloss Porpoise and flanked with Gloss Mandarin outer stripes, both hide-matched to the interior leather, creating a seamless visual connection between the exterior and the cabin. 

    The cabin echoes the exterior, with Cumbrian Green and Porpoises leather being accented with Mandarin stitching and piping, complemented with machined titanium Organ Stops and Bullseye vents. The veneer is Mulliner’s exquisite “guitar fade”, where a transition of colour and texture spans the width of the cabin, from gloss Beluga to high gloss carbon fibre, and back to gloss Beluga, and finished with the unique laser-etched audio signature of this W12 engine.

    Bespoke two-seat grand touring

    Bentley has a rich history of open-cockpit cars, from the very first Bentley of 1919, through the company’s foundation years in the 1920s, to the most recent – the Bacalar.

    The architecture of the Batur Convertible has allowed Mulliner’s designers to seize the opportunity to create a theme that not only blends the design of the Bacalar and Batur but includes the versatility of a convertible. The designers also chose to highlight the two-seater character with a ‘wraparound’ cockpit inspired by the design of the Bacalar.

    Personal and uniquely commissioned

    The Mulliner Bespoke Studio will co-create every Batur Convertible with each client, utilising our exclusive in-house commissioning software. It adopts a unique ‘off menu’ approach to commissioning that allows any part of the car to be customised in colour and surface finish, bringing each vision to life.

    Endless samples of unique materials bring texture and feel to the process, with the resulting commissions being truly individual and created by the client, limited only by their imagination. 

    Paint choice is infinite, starting with the full Mulliner colour palette and travelling beyond into fully bespoke paint and even hand-painted elements. The exterior brightware can be any mix of light and dark, satin or gloss, or even titanium. Another subtle option available is a graduated contrast colour to the front grille, allowing for a vibrant ombre effect.

    In the cabin, the highly exclusive option of 3D printed rose gold includes key driver touch points, such as the Bentley Drive Mode Selector, encircling the start/stop button and used to change chassis modes. The centrepiece of an exquisite cabin, the dial complements the design of the front grille. Rose gold can also be applied to Bentley’s iconic Organ Stop vent controls in the dashboard, as well as on the steering wheel itself.

    Bentley Mulliner has collaborated with expert goldsmiths based in the historic Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham, England, where jewellery has been made for centuries, to craft these unique parts. This special collaboration highlights Bentley’s ability to combine new, advanced manufacturing technologies with more traditional materials and finishing techniques.

    Exclusive and powerful

    Each Batur Convertible will be handcrafted over the course of several months in Mulliner’s workshop at Bentley’s carbon-neutral factory in Crewe, England. The Batur features the most powerful version of Bentley’s iconic W12, a 750 PS, hand-assembled 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine that has metaphorically and literally powered Bentley’s success for the last two decades. 

    For the W12 powertrain that the Batur Convertible shares with its coupe counterpart, a revised intake system, upgraded turbochargers, new intercoolers, and extensive recalibration enable 750 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque, to deliver exceptional performance for this pinnacle grand tourer. This development of the engine is in celebration of its achievements over 20 years, over which it has been developed to produce nearly 40% more power while improving fuel economy by 25%.

  • “The Black Rose” Bentley Batur Revealed Featuring 3D Printed Rose Gold

    “The Black Rose” Bentley Batur Revealed Featuring 3D Printed Rose Gold

    • ‘The Black Rose’ – a special customer commission, and one of only three right-hand-drive Baturs – revealed by Bentley
    • The first ever expression of three dimensional printed solid rose gold in the ultimate grand tourer
    • Specially commissioned Black Rose exterior paint with satin Rose Gold accents, with a matching interior
    • Customer commissioning process demonstrates the breadth of techniques, colours, materials and finishes that are available through Bentley’s bespoke Mulliner division 
    • Bentley committed to offering industry first manufacturing and craftsmanship to its customers with continued collaboration 
    • Sustainably sourced raw materials reflects commitment to sustainable luxury 

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, England – Bentley has unveiled a truly exceptional example of the co-creation commissioning journey every Batur customer experiences, with a unique result – a car christened ‘The Black Rose’, and themed around the beauty of rose gold.

    The Black Rose is one of 18 Baturs being built by Mulliner’s Bespoke Studio, and results from an extensive co-creation journey between the client and Mulliner’s design team. This exquisite car features bespoke ‘Black Rose’ metallic paintwork commissioned by Mulliner exclusively for the customer, with a gloss Beluga upper body. Satin Rose Gold accents adorn the front grille, ‘endless bonnet line’ brightware, mirror caps, lower body kit and 22” tri-tone wheels, which surround the impressive carbon ceramic brakes with black calipers.

    Inside, the rich darkness of the hides, fascias and fabrics is punctuated only by the glint of rose gold. An automotive industry first, Bentley’s gold Additive Manufacturing (AM) 3D printing technique adds up to 210 grams of hallmarked 18-karat rose gold to the interior of the coachbuilt coupe at key driver touchpoints. These include the Drive Mode Selector and Bentley’s iconic Organ Stop vent controls on the dashboard, as well as a rose gold insert marker on the steering wheel, exemplifying the level of bespoke detailing on offer. 

    Surrounding the rose gold elements is a cabin that provides a dark canvas of materials working in perfect harmony – rich Beluga leather, charcoal grey tweed fabric, and veneers painted in Black Rose metallic paint to compliment the exterior.

    Industry first in Three Dimensional Printed Gold  

    Bentley Motors has collaborated with renowned goldsmiths Cooksongold in an industry first to combine new and advanced manufacturing technologies with more traditional materials and finishing techniques. Utilising sustainably sourced raw materials from 100 percent recycled jewellery reflects the manufacturers’ commitment to sustainable luxury. 

    All parts produced for the Batur are hallmarked in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter as a sign of having solid material authenticity. Additionally, any parts manufactured in 2022 also receive the Jubilee hallmark, celebrating the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee year. 

    In 2022, Bentley committed a total of £3 million investment to double the AM capacity at the Crewe factory, converting three dimensional CAD models into physical parts. 

    Hallmarked 18-karat rose gold is one of many innovative finishes that customers have the choice of exploring in the Batur through Bentley’s bespoke Mulliner division. From aerospace-inspired titanium to sustainable, leather-like textiles made from by-products of the coffee roasting process, choices like these only add to the immense range of leathers, woods and other options. The only limit is the imagination of the individual customer. 

    The Art of Commissioning

    From the Roaring Twenties onwards, Mulliner coachbuilt bespoke bodies for some of the world’s most iconic Bentleys, including the famous R-Type Continental of 1952.

    Today, Mulliner operates as Bentley’s bespoke division, delivering everything from personal commissions to coachbuilt cars. It offers an exclusive, face-to-face service for customers who demand the rarest and most exquisite vehicles, often co-designing features and finishes to suit the unique tastes of the individual.

    Restricted to just 18 exclusive examples, the Batur signified the start of a design revolution at Bentley, and its success has been followed by the Batur Convertible, unveiled in May 2024. The Batur Convertible is the third car in Mulliner’s Coachbuilt family, following the Bacalar barchetta and the Batur coupe. Strictly limited to just 16 units, the Batur Convertible is the most powerful W12-powered drop-top Grand Tourer in Bentley’s history.

  • Bentley Batur Convertible W12 Begins Sign-off Journey

    Bentley Batur Convertible W12 Begins Sign-off Journey

    • Pair of Batur Convertible development cars begin final development trails across Europe
    • 16 Batur Convertible examples among the last W12-powered Bentleys, after the retirement of the engine in July
    • Extensive whole vehicle development program includes 120 individual tests over more than a year
    • Testing opens with 3,000 km drive from Germany to Spain, ahead of high-speed assessment at Idiada proving ground
    • Both development cars reflect the choices available to Mulliner customers, with bespoke colours and finishes to every single surface of both the cabin and the exterior

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, UK – The most powerful W12-engined Bentley – the highly exclusive Batur Convertible – has begun its final suite of sign-off testing. Created by Mulliner, Bentley’s in house bespoke division and the longest standing coachbuilder in the world, the Batur Convertible is the third car in Mulliner’s Coachbuilt family, following the Bacalar barchetta and the Batur coupe. Strictly limited to just 16 units, the Batur Convertible is the most powerful W12-powered drop-top Grand Tourer in Bentley’s history.

    Bentley announced the retirement of the W12 engine earlier this year, with the last engine leaving the production line in July. The 16 customer examples of the Batur Convertible will be among the recipients of the final W12 engines, each producing 750 PS as the most powerful iteration of the engine ever developed.

    The validation activities include durability for both the engine and whole vehicle, environmental compatibility and sunlight simulation, high speed stability, aerodynamics, noise and vibration, and driving dynamics. More than 120 individual tests in all cover everything from the quality of the surface finish of the gold “organ stop” ventilation controls to the new W12 engine hardware and software.  Over 58 weeks of vehicle validation have been scheduled across  a pair of pre-series cars – Batur Convertible Car Zero and the Batur Convertible Engineering Car.

    The real-world testing campaign started with an extensive 3,000 kilometre , five-country drive across Europe to simulate real world conditions. The route left Germany and travelled through Italy, France and Spain, across mountains, highways and cities, with the cars pausing briefly for an afternoon in Monaco for photography before continuing their journey to Idiada in Spain, where high speed testing will begin on private test tracks.

    Paul Williams, Chief Technical Officer for Mulliner, comments:
    “The purpose of an engineering validation public road drive is to test a vehicle’s performance, safety, and reliability under real-world conditions. It allows our engineers to assess how the vehicle operates in a variety of environments, traffic scenarios, and weather conditions that cannot be fully replicated in controlled testing environments. This stage is critical for identifying potential issues, validating system integration, and ensuring the vehicle meets regulatory standards and customer expectations as part of the engineering development test program. At the start of the project it was clear that this car had to be the ultimate open-air Grand Tourer and so every element from the exterior design, engine power and hand-crafted interior has been created without compromise.”

    At the proving grounds, the Batur Convertibles will begin seven weeks of durability work on handling tracks, mixed road conditions, high speed testing and abusive surface conditions. During all of these activities data and feedback are collated ensuring the technical targets are being met.

    The Final W12 Grand Tourer
    The Batur Convertible furthers the innovative design DNA introduced by its coupe sibling that will ultimately guide the design of Bentley’s future cars.

    Created by Mulliner, the Batur Convertible follows the exquisitely hand-crafted Bacalar barchetta and Batur coupe. With the Batur Convertible, Mulliner continues its long tradition of crafting truly individual cars, tailored to the wishes of each of its extraordinary clients.

    The Batur Convertible retains the most powerful version of Bentley’s iconic W12, with a 750 PS, hand-assembled 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine that has metaphorically and literally powered Bentley’s success for the last two decades. The Batur Convertible will be the last ever Bentley to use this incredible powertrain.

    The convertible roof delivers an aesthetic of beauty as a modern, tactile alternative to a hardtop roof. A combination of insulation material, sealing system refinements and acoustic treatments create a cossetting environment in a system which can be deployed or stowed in just 19 seconds, with the car travelling at speeds of up to 30 mph (50 km/h), transforming the car from a luxurious coupe into an open-top Grand Tourer at the touch of a button.

    Mulliner’s in-house design team will help co-create every Batur Convertible with its customer, working together through a specially created Mulliner visualiser that allows any part of the car to be customised in colour and surface finish. Endless samples of unique materials bring texture to the process, and the resulting designs will be truly individual and created by the customer – limited only by their imagination.

    Batur Convertible Car Zero
    Like all Mulliner Coachbuilt vehicles, the Batur Convertible is infinitely customisable – with each customer able to specify the colour and finish of literally every single surface of both the exterior and cabin of the car.

    The engineering development car – Batur Convertible Car Zero – has had the same level of attention to detail as a customer’s own specification. The exterior paintwork is a bespoke colour – Vermillion Gloss over Vermillion Satin Duo tone – that provides a vibrant colour across the contemporary surfaces. The bodywork is underscored by front splitters, side skirts and rear diffuser in high gloss carbon fibre.

    The front of the car features a grille of exceptional art – with the main matrix finished in Gloss Dark Titanium, accented with contrast chevrons in a horizontal ombré pattern that flows from Beluga in the centre and lighten to the vibrant sides in Vermillion Gloss. The “endless bonnet” line is finished in Gloss Dark Titanium paint, as are the 22” wheels – with the spokes in Gloss and Satin Black Titanium with Vermillion Gloss accents.

    The second development car – known simply as the ‘Engineering Car’, features an entirely different specification. Midnight Emerald exterior paintwork is finished with a high gloss carbon fibre body kit and Satin Dark Titanium finished bonnet brightware and lower bumper meshes The wheels are tri-tone – with a Satin Dark Titanium body, gloss Porpoise accent faces and gloss Mandarin pinstripe. The same combination of Satin Dark Titanium and Mandarin is joined by gloss Beluga for the three-colour ombré fade to the front grille. The cabin echoes the exterior, with Cumbrian Green and Porpoises leather being accented with Mandarin stitching and piping, complemented with machined titanium Organ Stops and Bullseye vents. The veneer is Mulliner’s exquisite “guitar fade”, where the colour across the width of the cabin changes gradually from gloss Beluga, to high gloss carbon fibre, and back to gloss Beluga, and finished with a laser-etched audio signature of the W12 engine.

  • The Batur Convertible – Coachbuilt by Mulliner

    The Batur Convertible – Coachbuilt by Mulliner

    • Batur Convertible becomes the third coachbuilt Bentley of the modern era, crafted by Mulliner
    • An evolution of Bentley’s DNA, capturing the essence of open-air Grand Touring in a progressive design born from Batur
    • The ultimate expression of curated personalisation and individualism, a canvas for the imagination
    • Strictly limited to 16 examples worldwide, the Batur Convertible innovates in colour and materiality never seen before on a production Bentley, inspired by the depths of nature
    • Selected clients to co-create something truly unique, engineered and built by the original master craftspeople of bespoke coachbuilding
    • Two door, two seat configuration, revealed beneath a beautiful retractable roof
    • Batur Convertible offers increased personalisation options, examples of which include the  ‘airbridge’ and Rose Gold interior detailing
    • Each example among the last ever Bentleys to use the iconic 750PS W12 engine
    • Follows the sold-out two-door Bacalar barchetta and Batur coupe
    • Engineering Car #0 shines in Vermillion Gloss and Satin paintwork

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, UK –  Bentley Motors today reveals the third coachbuilt Bentley of the modern era – the Batur Convertible. Created by Mulliner, Bentley’s in house bespoke division and the longest standing coachbuilder in the world, the Batur Convertible follows the exquisitely hand-crafted Bacalar barchetta and Batur coupe. With the Batur Convertible, Mulliner continues its long tradition of crafting truly individual cars, tailored to the wishes of each of its extraordinary clients.

    The Batur Convertible furthers the innovative design DNA introduced by its coupe sibling that will ultimately guide the design of Bentley’s future cars. The Batur Convertible retains the most powerful version of Bentley’s iconic W12, with a 750 PS, hand-assembled 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine that has metaphorically and literally powered Bentley’s success for the last two decades. With the engine to finish production this summer, the Batur Convertible will be one of the last ever Bentleys to use this incredible powertrain.

    Bespoke two-seat grand touring

    Bentley has a rich history of open-cockpit cars, from the very first Bentley of 1919, through the company’s foundation years in the 1920s, to the most recent – the Bacalar. The architecture of the Batur Convertible has allowed Mulliner’s designers to seize the opportunity to create a theme that not only blends the design of the Bacalar and Batur but includes the usability of a convertible. The designers also chose to highlight the two-seater character with a ‘wraparound’ cockpit inspired by the design of the Bacalar.

    The dramatic ‘airbridge’ behind the seats and tapered cowls at the rear hark back to the barchetta sports cars of old, whilst underlining the promise of a dynamic, driver-focused adventure in a cosseting, cocooned environment. The airbridge and tapered cowls are not only aesthetic, but also provide a semi-enclosed luggage compartment behind the two front seats.

    The convertible roof delivers an aesthetic of beauty as a modern, tactile alternative to a hardtop roof. A combination of insulation material, sealing system refinements and acoustic treatments create a cossetting environment in a system which can be deployed or stowed in just 19 seconds, with the car travelling at speeds of up to 30 mph (50 km/h), transforming the car from a luxurious coupe into an open-top Grand Tourer at the touch of a button.

    Personal and uniquely commisioned

    Mulliner’s in-house design team will help co-create every Batur Convertible with its customer, working together through a specially created Mulliner visualiser that allows any part of the car to be customised in colour and surface finish. Endless samples of unique materials bring texture to the process, and the resulting designs will be truly individual and created by the customer – limited only by their imagination.

    Customers will be able to specify the colour and finish of practically every surface of the Batur Convertible, to create a car as individual as they are. Beyond the exterior form of the car lies an almost endless array of choices for each car’s future owner to make. 

    Paint choice is infinite – starting with the full Mulliner colour palette and travelling beyond into fully bespoke paint and even hand-painted graphics. The exterior brightware can be any mix of light and dark, satin or gloss or even titanium. Another subtle option available is a graduated contrast colour to the front grille, for a vibrant ombre effect.

    The Batur Convertible offers further areas to personalise with the unique Airbridge, tonneau cover and roof materials being able to be specified to complement the rest of the cabin and exterior. 

    In the cabin, the highly exclusive option of 3D printed rose gold includes key driver touch points, such as the Bentley Drive Mode Selector, encircling the start/stop button and used to change chassis modes. The centrepiece of an exquisite cabin, the dial complements the design of the front grille. Rose gold can also applied to Bentley’s iconic Organ Stop vent controls in the dashboard, as well as a rose gold insert marker on the steering wheel itself.

    Bentley Mulliner has collaborated with expert goldsmiths based in the historic Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham, England, where jewellery has been made for centuries, to craft the unique parts. This special collaboration highlights Bentley’s ability to combine new, advanced manufacturing technologies with more traditional materials and finishing techniques.

    Exclusive and powerful

    Each Batur Convertible will be handcrafted over the course of several months in Mulliner’s workshop at Bentley’s carbon neutral factory in Crewe, England. Production will be limited to just 16 pieces, each among the last ever Bentleys to be powered by the company’s iconic W12 engine, in its most potent iteration.

    For the W12 powertrain that the Batur Convertible shares with its coupe counterpart, a revised intake system, upgraded turbochargers, new intercoolers and extensive recalibration enables 750 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque, to deliver exceptional performance for this pinnacle grand tourer. This development of the engine is in celebration of its achievements over 20 years, over which time it has been developed to produce nearly 40% more power while fuel economy has improved by 25%. The W12 is paired with Bentley’s eight-speed double-clutch transmission, and a sports exhaust to provide a soundtrack in keeping with the level of performance. The entire exhaust system is in titanium, while the finishers are 3D-printed in titanium.

    Batur Convertible Car #0

    The engineering development car – Batur Convertible Car #0 – has had the same level of attention to detail as a customer’s own specification. The exterior paintwork is a bespoke colour – Vermillion Gloss over Vermillion Satin Duo tone – that provides a vibrant colour across the contemporary surfaces. The bodywork is underscored by front splitters, side skirts and rear diffuser in high gloss carbon fibre. 

    The front of the car features a grille of exceptional art – with the main matrix finished in Gloss Dark Titanium, accented with contrast chevrons in a horizontal ombré pattern that flows from Beluga in the centre and lighten to the vibrant sides in Vermillion Gloss. The “endless bonnet” line is finished in Gloss Dark Titanium paint, as are the 22” wheels – with the spokes in Gloss and Satin Black Titanium with Vermillion Gloss accents.

  • Bentley Presents Mulliner Bespoke Models at Auto China 2024

    Bentley Presents Mulliner Bespoke Models at Auto China 2024

    • A one-of-one Continental GTC S, inspired by surfing and exclusively for China, makes its public debut, having already been sold
    • Bentley Batur, the exquisite Mulliner Coachbuilt two-seat grand tourer, is unveiled for the first time in a new exterior colour by Mulliner, Gloss Aquamarine, with new design DNA showing direction for future Bentleys
    • Luxury flagship Bentayga EWB Mulliner displayed together with Flying Spur Azure Hybrid, demonstrating stunning bespoke features
    • In 2024, Bentley will offer special collections inspired by Chinese culture, meeting the personalisation demands of Chinese customers

    [source: Bentley]

    Beijing, China –  Bentley Motors presents a number of models all crafted by Bentley’s personal commissioning division, Mulliner, at Auto China 2024. A one-of-one Continental GTC S, exclusively created for China, makes its public debut in Beijing, having already been sold. The exceptional Mulliner Coachbuilt project – Bentley Batur – makes its first public appearance in China with a new exterior paint colour, presenting a striking new look. The Bentayga EWB Mulliner – Bentley’s luxury flagship, is also displayed at the luxury stand alongside the Flying Spur Azure Hybrid, demonstrating stunning bespoke features.

    Also announced, are the design details of the special collections inspired by Chinese culture. All of these models showcase Bentley’s ultimate luxury personalisation, defining the extraordinary benchmark for contemporary luxury mobility and lifestyle.

    “As the world’s oldest coachbuilder whose origins date back to the 16th century, the Mulliner name is known among Bentley cars for its ultimate luxury personalisation,” said Ansar Ali, Mulliner and Motorsport Director at Bentley Motors, “we’re delighted to see that customers’ interest in luxury personalisation peaked in 2023, rising by 43 per cent from the previous year, with three quarters of Bentley customers exploring the 46 billion different personalisation configurations available from our options range to add personal bespoke content from Bentley’s Mulliner division. Our discerning Chinese customers and the luxury market here continue to inspire and push us to explore new boundaries, so we are excited and motivated by the future opportunities in this market.”

    “In China, twice as many of our customers are choosing Bentley’s personal commissioning services through the Mulliner division as opposed to two years ago, a clear sign of the desire for truly unique commissions and exclusivity by our Chinese customers,” said Kim Airey, Managing Director of Bentley Motors Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. “To further reinforce the importance of Mulliner personalisation in China, Bentley will offer a number of China-exclusive personalised collections co-created with Mulliner in 2024. The extraordinary cars are inspired by our Chinese customers and dealers, and the perfect synthesis of Mulliner’s craft, capabilities, and local culture,” Airey added.

    Mulliner Coachbuilt: The ultimate personal commission

    Mulliner Coachbuilt cars combine an incredibly wide range of rare artisanal skills, modern sustainable design, and cutting-edge engineering and innovation to deliver a service no other car manufacturer can match – creating truly wondrous coachbuilt Bentleys.

    Limited to just 18 cars, the coachbuilt Batur is the most powerful Bentley ever, a two-seat grand tourer only Mulliner could create. It is also characterised by a new, minimalist design language that sets the stage for the future style of Bentley models. The Batur displayed at Bentley’s stand presents, for the first time, a new exterior colour by Mulliner, Gloss Aquamarine. The stunning looking car perfectly echoes the inspiration for its name – a beautiful body of water, Lake Batur.

    The new design principles create a stronger and bolder exterior for the Batur that simultaneously remains elegant and graceful, relying more heavily on curvaceous surfaces bisected in the right places to reflect light and dark and bring increased muscle to the design. It looks fast even when stationary. This special feature – the “endless bonnet” – makes the car long and lean and gives an elongated proportion to the front end. The line stretches from the bonnet along the whole length of the car, and highlights the cleaner shape. Meanwhile, the visual mass of the car is moved rearwards, giving the impression that the car is sitting on the rear axle, which adds further depth to the haunches. The famous Bentley grille is redesigned to be lower and more upright, giving the car a stronger face and a more dominant stance. The grille is flanked by a new headlight shape and design, bringing self-confidence with a luxury stance.

    Any part of the Bentley Batur model can be customised in colour and surface finish. Endless samples of unique materials bring texture to the process, and the resulting designs will be truly individual and created by the customer – limited only by their imagination.

    Batur has a two-seat interior space, with every element of its cabin tailored to the customer’s specifications. Clients can choose from a variety of sustainable interior materials. Mulliner’s in-house design team combined luxury materials and unique surfaces, giving this model a special personality. The use of 3D printed 18K gold, sustainable leather and veneers in Natural Fibre composite lays a solid foundation for the Mulliner to achieve its sustainability goals.

    Mulliner Bespoke: Create something unique

    Mulliner Bespoke offers a limitless range of stunning bespoke finishes and features, from interior speciality veneers and precious metals to a light illuminated to the ground displaying your design, which can make your Bentley truly unique and personal. 

    Bentley Motors unveiled the latest bespoke masterpiece from Mulliner at Auto China 2024, which is a one-of-one Continental GT Convertible S, exclusively created for the Chinese market. Its design – interior and exterior – is inspired by one of the most popular adrenalin-filled sports in the world – surfing – and it perfectly embodies the young spirit and aspiration of Chinese customers today. 

    The Snow Quartz exterior paint is a palette that pays homage to the natural colours of ocean waves, complimented by the Light Celeste pinstripe on the Mirror Cap Housings. The cabin design is inspired by ‘Green Room’, referring to the stable room inside the wave, the ultimate goal of every surfer. The interior is finished in Light Celeste as the main hide and complemented by Beluga as the secondary hide together with a Dual Gradient Single Finish Veneer featuring Brunel over Light Celeste, a Piano Brunel centre console with hand painted Light Celeste chevron pinstripe, and the contrast S emblems in Brunel have been embroidered on the headrests, reminding us of summer surfing.

    The Flying Spur Azure Hybrid also shares the luxury stand, presenting various bespoke personalisation details in the cabin, including Galaxy Stone over Imperial Blue Dual Finished Veneer. Bentley’s team of expert veneer hunters went to extraordinary lengths to select the stone veneer, showcasing a fusion of century-old craftsmanship and advanced technologies. This results in variations in colour, pattern, and texture which are almost impossible to imitate. Bentley’s revolutionary stone veneer interior finish makes for a magnificent contemporary feature of natural products formed over 200 million years ago.

    Bentley also unveils three China-exclusive personalised collections co-created with Mulliner at Auto China 2024. The limited collections are inspired by Chinese culture, and will be launched in 2024. Limited to a production of 8 cars, Koi Carp Collection is inspired by Koi Carp, which expresses good wishes for auspiciousness and prosperity in Chinese culture. Six unique Koi Carps are included in the interior design with different shapes on backrests and the inner sill plate respectively, ‘swimming’ clockwise to circle the occupants in the luxury cabin. Also limited to a production of 8 cars, Landscapes Collection is inspired by a famous ancient Chinese painting ‘A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains (千里江山图)’, which depicts the vast country landscape, such as rivers and hills, representing Chinese people’s responsibility to the home and their nation. The contrast bespoke landscape embroidered emblems on the backrest subtly represent the shape of the Chinese characters ’Rivers and Mountains (江山)’. The Ru Yi Collection is limited to the production of 3 cars, its design concept is inspired by Chinese traditional Ru Yi, which is usually owned by ancient nobles and symbolises power and good fortune. The backrests are decorated with Ru Yi embroidery in gold, and is the first time Mulliner has embroidered a Chinese calligrapher’s writing seal script character in the interior design. The ‘Ru Yi (如意)” seal characters are presented in the exterior badge, treadplate, and passenger fascia, adding dynamic and powerful features to the models.

    Curated by Mulliner: Explore endless possibilities

    From special finishes and colour schemes to beautifully crafted interior and exterior features, Curated by Mulliner offers flexible personalisation options, allowing Bentley customers to customise based on their preferences and experience the sense of achievement and joy of creating a masterpiece with their own hands.

    Bentley’s luxury flagship Bentayga EWB Mulliner, showcased at Auto China, offers more cabin space than any comparable luxury competitor and its bespoke enhancements make every journey an occasion to be savoured. The experience from the driver’s seat is equally as special as that of the expansive rear cabin, providing the world’s most luxurious SUV thus far. For cabin customisation, there are eight three-colour combinations to choose from, curated by the Mulliner Design team, which is a Mulliner design signature and only available for Bentley’s pinnacle models. Customers can also specify their own Mulliner Bespoke Interior using any three colours, producing nearly 4,000 tri-tone interior colour combinations. The show car on the stand presents a Bespoke Interior Colour Split using Linen as the main hide with Imperial Blue as the secondary hide and a Camel accent colour. To further demonstrate Mulliner’s personalisation capabilities, a bespoke and unique front-to-rear colour split separates the rear seats from the front, flowing from Imperial Blue in the front to Linen by the rear seats.

  • Bentley Batur Introduces Light Sculpture – First Step in Digital Personalisation

    Bentley Batur Introduces Light Sculpture – First Step in Digital Personalisation

    • Batur showcases new technology delivering welcome animations projected from the door
    • Designed to project a ‘light through cut crystal’ effect on the road below
    • First automotive application to use digital light processing to produce ground based animated illumination when entering a car 
    • Light sculpture, the next step in Bentley’s design language, first shown on EXP100 GT in 2019
    • Three coloured light sources reflect through ten lens and an advanced Digital Micromirror Device (DMDTM), sculpting the shape of the light to produce the animation
    • The animated light curation is projected via 415,800 microscopic mirrors that are each one fifth the width of a human hair 
    • The DMDTM is less than 8mm2, with the complete light sculpture system being slightly larger than two AA batteries
    • Mulliner enables customers to co-create bespoke animations with colours to match their car 

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, England – The new Bentley Batur – the handcrafted, coachbuilt coupe from Mulliner – showcases a new technology that delivers welcome animation sequences projected to the ground from the door.

    Bentley Motors has spent the last 100 years providing customers with exceptional luxury cars formed in metal, wood and leather. Looking to the future, light will be the fourth material that will play a significant part in Bentley’s design language, as originally demonstrated by the 2019 concept car EXP100 GT with its illuminated front grille.

    Batur provides the first glimpse of light craftsmanship and the endless opportunities it could provide for luxury digital personalisation. Advanced Digital Light Processing (DLP) has been innovated to produce an animated welcome image when the door of the car is opened, in this case showcasing the Batur’s design and profile that is projected on to the floor.

    The new projection system brings the potential for a customer to curate a bespoke welcome animation for their car, offering a true first step into digital personalisation.

    This is the first automotive application using DLP technology, which can be found in advanced headlights and head up display systems, to welcome occupants to a car. The projection system that makes this possible uses three coloured light sources projecting through five different lens and two prisms into a highly advanced 8mm2 Digital Micromirror Device (DMDTM). The light signal is then focused through five further lenses, displaying the animation on the ground when the doors open.

    The DMD™ device is a small silicone chip that consists of 415,800 tiny mirrors. Through the movement of the mirrors, a moving image can be produced. The mirrors themselves are made of aluminium and are 16 microns in width – a fifth of the width of a human hair. As the size of the mirror and hinge is so small they can react thousands of times per second with each mirror delivering one pixel in the animation.

    The image is created by sculpting the light from the coloured light sources and previous lenses and hitting the mirrors in the ‘on’ position. All mirrors in the ‘off’ position reflect the light into a heat sink within the projector that absorbs the light. The light leaving the DMDTM chip travels through five further lens and focuses on the floor. 

    This new feature is the next step of a  journey where Bentley Mulliner continues to innovate and push further the boundaries of technology, to offer customers an even more unique luxury personalisation experience.

  • Bentley Batur Completes Development Program

    Bentley Batur Completes Development Program

    • Brace of Baturs complete whole vehicle development programme
    • Two cars combine for 58 weeks of total durability work
    • Batur’s W12 engine completes two-year development and test regime
    • Tests included more than 30,000 kilometres of real world driving in varied conditions
    • More than 800 parts exclusive to Batur – all tested to the highest standards of durability
    • 750 PS W12 Batur will be the most powerful Bentley to date – the ultimate grand tourer 
    • Personal commissioning of 18 customer cars continues

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, England –  Bentley’s ultimate grand tourer, the coachbuilt Batur by Mulliner, has completed its whole vehicle development programme, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of performance and durability. Work now commences on the build of customer cars, each of which will feature an exceptional level of bespoke craftsmanship and take around four months to handcraft – with the last one to be completed at the end of 2024.

    Following on from the creation of two development vehicles (known as Car Zero and Car Zero-Zero), just 18 Batur customer cars will be produced by hand in the Mulliner workshops. However, no concession has been made in Bentley’s rigorous testing regime, which includes durability tests on handling tracks, real-world road conditions, high speed testing beyond 200 mph, and rough surfaces. Other tests included 600 hours of solar loading, equivalent to five years in an Arizona desert, to ensure that the sustainable materials used in the Batur’s construction will be robust enough to endure a lifetime’s use.

    The original development Batur – Car Zero 

    Car Zero is no ordinary development mule. It was built to the same levels of craftsmanship as each of the 18 customer cars to come. Its bespoke exterior finish, Purple Sector, is complemented by front splitters, side skirts and rear diffuser in a high gloss natural fibre finish. The main matrix grille in Gloss Dark Titanium is accented with contrast chevrons in a horizontal ombré pattern that flows from Purple Sector in the centre, gradually darkening to Black Crystal at the periphery. The ‘endless bonnet’ line is finished in Satin Titanium, as are the 22” wheels which feature spokes in Gloss and Satin Black Crystal.

    A second development Batur, Engineering Car Zero-Zero, is finished in the equally striking Marina Teal finish. These bespoke finishes, and new components such as the one-off LED headlamp units, faced a series of tough durability tests, which included a 2,500 km European tour, high speed testing at closed circuits, and extended exposure to the harshest environments. In total, over 800 unique and one-off components have been tested and proved in 160 simultaneous weeks of intensive development work.

    The most powerful Bentley to date

    The W12 engine that powers Batur can trace its origins back to the Continental GT of 2003. The W12 has both literally and figuratively powered Bentley’s ascent to the pinnacle of automotive luxury brands. It has continued to evolve, becoming more powerful, refined and efficient with each successive generation. Now, as Bentley begins its journey to full electrification, the Batur’s W12 represents a celebration of this remarkable engine as well as its swansong. Its 750PS peak output makes it the most powerful W12 and therefore the most powerful Bentley powertrain ever built. Its new air intake system, modified turbochargers, revised intercoolers and new calibrations for engine, transmission and electronic stability control were tested to the limit in over 100 weeks of powertrain development. The engine’s breath-taking performance is matched to the most advanced Bentley chassis specification ever. Highlights include Speed-tuned air suspension, electric active anti-roll control, eLSD, four-wheel steering and torque vectoring. 

    A new coachbuilding era

    The advanced technologies used to create Batur make it possible for Mulliner to offer customers a level of individuality unheard of in the modern era. New sustainable materials such as natural fibres and technologies such as Additive Manufactured Gold give Mulliner’s designers a near-infinite palette of choice, enabling customers to realise their unique vision of the ultimate grand tourer. Every detail has also had to pass development scrutiny, including the 18ct yellow gold options for the Charisma Dial and the Organ Stop air vent control. Made from recycled, 3D printed gold, these parts have been subjected to tests as wide-ranging as thermal loading to resistance to sun cream.

    The first customer cars 

    Having passed every test with flying colours, Batur is now ready for the next stage of its journey. All 18 examples of Batur have already been reserved, and each customer can now continue the process of co-creation, guided by Mulliner’s in-house design team. After the customer specification of the colour and finish of almost every surface of the Batur, each unique car will be handcrafted in the coming months at Mulliner’s workshop in Bentley’s carbon neutral factory in Crewe, England, with each one taking around four months to complete.

  • Bentley Batur Specifications Showcase Depth of Mulliner Personalization

    Bentley Batur Specifications Showcase Depth of Mulliner Personalization

    • Customer commissioning process begins for Bentley Batur – the latest pinnacle coachbuilt Grand Tourer from Mulliner
    • Colour, Materials and Finishes team take inspiration from the cosmos to create new combinations of materials and colours
    • Four curated specifications demonstrate the unique capability of Mulliner to deliver to any customer’s imagination
    • Carbon fibre meets a more sustainable natural equivalent, crafted using flax fibres
    • Sustainably-sourced leathers complemented by coffee-based textiles
    • Precision-machined titanium and 3D-printed 18-karat gold provide exquisite metallic touches
    • Specification process underway for 16 of the 18 Baturs to be built

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, England – The Batur is more than just a glimpse of Bentley’s future design. It will be a significant step towards the way future Bentleys will be made, using the planet-friendly materials and techniques needed for a more sustainable vision of luxury. Innovative technologies have been fused with luxurious materials, to create features never seen on a Bentley before. 

    Bentley’s Colour, Materials and Finishes team turned to the exploration of the cosmos for their inspiration in creating these specifications, utilising space-era materials and finishes to reflect the idea of a journey of exploration. For Mulliner customers, the ability to specify bespoke colours, materials and finishes is of the highest priority and the Batur demonstrates even further Bentley’s ability to use unique combinations of colour and materiality. 

    Carbon fibre is known for its incredible balance of strength with low weight – but it is not a sustainable material. New, natural alternatives to carbon fibre are now possible using high-performance composites made from flax – a sustainable ‘super-fibre’. Immensely strong and incredibly light, this material has proved suitable for use throughout the Batur, from the exterior body kit to the internal hard surfaces.  

    Where leather is used, it will be sustainably sourced, thanks to a production process that uses less water and aldehyde than traditional tanning. There will also be the option to select traceable, low-CO₂ leather – something that is only possible today in the low volumes involved in coachbuilding. Sustainable, leather-like textiles made from by-products of the coffee roasting process can even be selected, as can carpets made from recycled yarn.

    A wealth of innovative new finishes are available for the Batur. From hallmarked 18-karat yellow gold crafted using additive manufacturing, to aerospace-inspired titanium, and the composites and textiles detailed above, choices like these only add to the immense range of leathers, woods and other options. The only limit is the imagination of the individual customers.

    To offer some inspiration for customers, a number of examples have been created that demonstrate what is possible at this level of bespoke commissioning.

    Theme One – Nebula

    A bold specification pushing firmly towards a high performance-focused feel with dramatic contrasts of black against vivid greens on the exterior and interior. ‘Wasabi’ exterior paintwork ensures that this spectacular specification will ensnare the attention of onlookers everywhere it goes. Those who look closer will see a sleek Gloss Black Crystal finish on the body kit, adding a reflective, deep black’ edge to the car’s profile. 

    Inside, the roles of the green and black are reversed, with a stunning ‘guitar fade’ across the laser-etched fascia, from gloss black to gloss carbon fibre.

    Theme Two – Supernova

    This stellar specification pairs smouldering Sunbeam paintwork with a high-impact interior – all to devastating effect. Atlantic Pearl Crystal detailing to the body kit adds contrast to the stunning exterior. 

    The cabin is upholstered with a vibrant combination of Indigo Night, Beluga, Ceramic Glaze and Hyperactive, making this the only theme to have a four colourway interior. On the laser-etched fascia, meanwhile, a stunning fade from gloss black to gloss Natural Fibre completes the picture and also includes a full titanium pack with machined detailing around the cabin.

    Theme Three – Hyperspace

    This specification has been designed to evoke a sense of speed, even when the car is at a standstill. A deep metallic Daybright Blue exterior features is contrasted by St James Red accents to the grille, the body kit and red brake calipers – a sports-inspired theme that hints at the power of the engine that lies in wait beneath the gleaming bonnet. 

    Inside, the rich darkness of the hides, fascias and fabrics is punctuated only by stripes of searing Pillar Box Red and the 18-karat gold Bentley Dynamic Drive Selector and ‘12 o’clock’ steering wheel centre band.

    Theme Four – Dark Matter

    The dark silver sheen of the duo-tone Fine Brodgar and Black Crystal paintwork blends seamlessly with the titanium detailing of the tailpipe finishers in this sleek, sophisticated specification. A closer look, however, reveals a spark of Cyber Yellow – adding an edge to the front grille and the underside of the spoiler. 

    The interior is upholstered in sumptuous Burnt Oak hides and encircle in a stunning ring of smooth, gloss graphene. The toned down interior graphic is further interplayed with Black Anodised Aluminium details and Beluga Black accents.

    The Art of Commissioning

    W.O. Bentley built the first car to bear his name in 1919. Immediately, his creations were in high demand – but he was an engineer, first and foremost. He made engines. He would affix them to a chassis, with wheels and a transmission system. The resulting machines were certainly cars – but to turn them into luxurious recreational vehicles, streamlined racing cars, or both, the services of a coachbuilder were required.

    From the Roaring Twenties onwards, Mulliner built bespoke bodies and cabins for some of the world’s most iconic Bentleys, including the famous R-Type Continental of 1952.

    Today, Mulliner operates as Bentley’s personal commissioning division, delivering everything from bespoke modifications to coachbuilt cars. It offers an exclusive, face-to-face service for customers who demand the rarest and most exquisite vehicles, often co-designing features and finishes to suit the unique tastes of the individual.

    Mulliner offers the opportunity to build a direct relationship with the designers who will bring any customer’s vision to life. In the world of bespoke automotive craft, Mulliner has no equal.

  • 3D Printed Gold Process Used in Bentley Batur*

    3D Printed Gold Process Used in Bentley Batur*

    • Bentley steps up high-tech ‘additive manufacturing’ capability with industry-first application of 3D printed gold
    • Up to 210 grams of solid yellow gold available in W12-engined Batur – the most powerful Bentley in history
    • Breath-taking two-door coupe limited to just 18 exquisite examples
    • 18ct parts include centrepiece Charisma Dial and Bentley’s iconic Organ Stop vent controls
    • Gold sourced from historic Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham – a centuries-old centre of craftsmanship
    • Process uses 100 per cent recycled jewellery ground to fine powder for 3D printing 
    • Innovative advancement supports Bentley’s sustainable and forward-focused Beyond100 strategy.
    • Batur Grand Tourer heralds start of a design revolution at Bentley

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, England – Bentley Motors has introduced 3D printed solid gold in the exclusive Batur by Mulliner – the first time such a ground-breaking process is believed to have been used in the automotive industry. The ‘additive manufacturing’ (AM) technique will add up to 210 grams of 18ct yellow gold to the coachbuilt coupe, the fastest Bentley in the company’s 103-year history.

    The W12-engined Batur is restricted to just 18 examples, all of which have already been sold to Mulliner clients at £1.65m each (excluding taxes and options). The optional, 3D printed gold includes key driver touch points, such as the Charisma Dial, encircling the start/stop button and used to change driver modes. The centrepiece of an exquisite cabin, the dial complements the design of the Batur front grille. Gold is also applied to Bentley’s iconic Organ Stop vent controls on the dashboard, as well as a gold insert marker on the steering wheel itself.

    Bentley Mulliner has worked with renowned goldsmiths Cooksongold to craft the unique Batur parts. A member of the Heirmerle + Meule Group, Cooksongold is based in the historic Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham, England, where jewellery has been made for centuries. The special collaboration highlights Bentley’s ability to combine new, advanced manufacturing technologies with more traditional materials and finishing techniques.

    All the sustainably sourced gold is 100 per cent recycled from old jewellery, ground into a fine powder needed for the 3D printing technique. Recycling ensures there is no environmental impact from mining for new precious metals. It also reflects Bentley’s commitment to a more sustainable future and is in line with the company’s Beyond100 strategy, to be end-to-end carbon neutral by 2030.    

    Every 3D gold part in the Batur is digitally designed using CAD models, before a printing process with laser melting printers. Each is then hand finished by skilled artisan jewellers, using traditional techniques to achieve the polish and quality that is synonymous with a Bentley.    

    All parts produced for the Batur are hallmarked in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter as a sign of having solid material authenticity. Additionally, any parts manufactured in 2022 also receive the Jubilee hallmark, celebrating the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee year.    

    In February, Bentley committed a further £3 million investment to double AM capacity at the Crewe factory, converting 3D CAD models into physical parts. Future applications will facilitate more low volume manufacturing components and bespoke customer personalisation – including the pioneering use of 3D printed gold in a range of new generation models.

    Bentley’s legendary 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12 engine generates more than 740 PS in the Batur, with chassis technology that includes eLSD, four-wheel steering and 48V electric active anti-roll bars to match the performance. The coupe offers an endless array of options, including parts crafted in titanium, sustainable Natural Fibre composites and even low-carbon leather sourced from Scotland. The coupe’s new design DNA also shows the direction for future Bentley BEVs (battery electric vehicles).

    Dr. Matthias Rabe, Member of the Board for Research and Development at Bentley Motors, said:

    “Bentley’s approach to additive manufacturing is industry leading, evident through our pioneering use of a luxury metal in the design and development process of the Batur. One of the key benefits is that it is efficiency led, cutting down on the cost and complexity of a myriad of jobs but maintaining the value of a rare resource.

    “As Bentley embraces an exciting future, we see huge potential in advanced, innovative technologies. Processes such as 3D printed gold will be a springboard that allows our customers an even greater ability to personalise, further enhancing the individualisation programme offered on every car.”

  • Bentley Batur Begins Real-World Testing

    Bentley Batur Begins Real-World Testing

    • First Batur coupé development car starts trials across Europe
    • Extensive whole vehicle development program includes 120 individual tests over a 58 week period 
    • 100+ weeks of powertrain development already completed, delivering the most powerful Bentley to date 
    • Batur includes more than 800 unique parts not including customer options for materials and finishes
    • Vibrant specification for Batur Car #0 using “Purple Sector”
    • Batur’s advanced materials and construction look towards Bentley’s sustainable future

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, England – The Bentley Batur has begun real-world road trials across Europe. Following its debut at Monterey Car Week in August 2022 and attendance at numerous events for Bentley Customers, global media and the public, two development Baturs are now starting a rigorous programme of tests to ensure the highest standards of vehicle performance and quality. The limited series of just 18 examples are due to begin deliveries mid-2023 after completion and sign-off of an extensive engineering program.

    The validation activities include durability for both the engine and whole vehicle, environmental compatibility & sunlight simulation, high speed stability, aerodynamics, noise & vibration, and driving dynamics. More than 120 individual tests in all cover everything from the quality of the surface finish of the gold “organ stop” ventilation controls to the new W12 engine hardware and software.  Over 58 weeks of vehicle validation have been scheduled across the two pre-series cars, supplementing 100+ weeks of vehicle development already completed to validate the increased engine power, making the Batur the most powerful Bentley in history with at least 740 PS.

    The first activity for one of the development Batur’s – Car #0 – is an extensive 2,500 kilometre drive across Europe to simulate real world conditions. The route leaves Germany and travels through Italy, France and Spain before high speed testing work is undertaken at proving grounds. 

    Paul Williams, Chief Technical Officer for Mulliner, comments:

    “At the start of the project it was clear that this car had to be the ultimate GT and so every element from the exterior design, engine power and hand-crafted interior has been created without compromise. 

    “There are a number of unique features that bring new challenges. For example, the exterior headlamps are very compact LED units and made to our styling teams challenging proportions, which transforms the exterior appearance of the car but are complex to produce. We’re also working with the most powerful development of the W12 in its 20-year history, which brings an enormous validation programme.

    “Even small details such as the angle of the diamond in the front grille representing the cylinder angle in the W12 engine have had to be considered. And even though there will only be 18 Baturs produced, the level of quality has to be identical to every one of the 15,000 cars Bentley is currently producing each year.”

    At the proving grounds, Batur Car #0 will begin seven weeks of durability work on handling tracks, mixed road conditions, high speed testing and abusive surface conditions. During all of these activities data and feedback are collated ensuring the technical targets are being met.

    When the proving ground work is complete, another 7,500 kilometres of real world driving will be undertaken before environmental testing commences. In just under four weeks the car will endure 600 hours of solar loading – equivalent to five years in an Arizona desert. This is particularly important for the new sustainable materials used in the exterior components, as an alternative to carbon fibre.

    By the time the first customer deliveries begin, over 810 unique parts will have completed 160 weeks of testing and development, delivering the ultimate coachbuilt grand tourer. 

    The Pinnacle W12 Grand Tourer

    The Batur will also be the most powerful Bentley yet, with a 729+ Bhp (740+ PS) version of the iconic, hand-assembled 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine that has metaphorically and literally powered Bentley’s success for the last two decades. 

    Over 100+ weeks of powertrain development have already been completed to confirm the new air intake system, modified turbochargers, revised intercoolers and new calibrations for the engine gearbox and electronic stability control for the pinnacle W12.

    As the engine enters its twilight years as part of Bentley’s Beyond100 transformation journey to being fully electrified, the Batur forms the first part of a celebration of the W12’s extraordinary power, torque and refinement. Engine performance will be matched to the most advanced Bentley chassis ever, with Speed-tuned air suspension, electric active anti-roll control, eLSD, four-wheel steering and torque vectoring.

    Batur Car #0

    All 18 customer Baturs are already reserved. Each one is being designed collaboratively with each customer, guided by Mulliner’s in-house design team. 

    Customers will be able to specify the colour and finish of practically every surface of the Batur, to create a car as individual as they are. From the main exterior paint to the surface finish of the air vents, and literally everything in between, each customer will specify even the tiniest of details.

    The engineering development car – Batur Car #0 – has had the same level of attention to detail as a customer’s own specification. The exterior paintwork is a bespoke colour – Purple Sector – that provides a deep vibrant colour across the curvaceous surfaces. The bodywork is underscored by front splitters, side skirts and rear diffuser in a high gloss natural fibre finish. 

    The front of the car features a grille of exceptional art – with the main matrix finished in Gloss Dark Titanium, accented with contrast chevrons in a horizontal ombré pattern that flows from Purple Sector in the centre and gradually darken to the sides to Black Crystal. The “endless bonnet” line is finished in Satin Titanium paint, as are the 22” wheels – with the spokes in Gloss and Satin Black Crystal to match the grille.

    One small addition customers will not receive that can be seen on Batur Car #0 are the small white arrowheads found at the edges of the body panels. These markers help to provide feedback on panel movement and any form of relaxation whilst the car is undertaking the durability testing.

    Looking To The Future Of Coachbuilding

    The Mulliner Bacalar was the first coachbuilt project in recent years which gave significant insight into Bentley’s customers and customer choice. For Batur an even greater selection of options have been developed, not only including colours, materials and finishes, but also new technology such as the Mulliner by Naim Audio system. This takes the Naim Audio system from the Continental GT and transforms it with 20 new Focal speakers, exclusively configured for Batur and custom tuned into a truly immersive class-leading Audio experience.

    The design team have given the Batur a unique character with a combination of high end materials and finishes. This is a significant stepping stone towards sustainable material and construction methods, from Additive Manufactured Gold to sustainable hide and natural fibre veneers. 

    Using advanced manufacturing techniques it is possible for tooling investment to be kept to a minimum which drives lower material and energy usage in the manufacturing processes. Pending successful testing, Mulliner also plan to use natural fibres as an alternative to carbon fibre is some areas of the car. This is a significant reduction in carbon required to produce the materials in these parts.

    Sustainability plays a key role in the Batur to help drive the development of sustainable features for future generations of coachbuilt Bentley’s, using Mulliner’s coachbuilding experience as the platform for innovation in line with Bentley’s sustainability goals.