Wanderlust

Tag: orange

  • 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.

  • Market Find: Audi exclusive Solar Orange RS 5 Coupe

    Market Find: Audi exclusive Solar Orange RS 5 Coupe

    Let’s start by getting this out of the way- it’s October, Halloween is just days away, and the combination of Audi exclusive Solar Orange (Y2G) and Black Optic package bears some resemblance to a pumpkin. But this isn’t just any squash, and it certainly wouldn’t fall victim to any Halloween eve antics.

    Currently found for sale in the Facebook Marketplace classifieds, this Audi exclusive Solar Orange RS 5 Coupe (VIN: unknown) was purchased by its owner just a few short months ago at Porsche Austin before life sent them in a different direction. One of just 22 Audi RS 5s that hit our shores in 2014 wearing Audi exclusive paint, this example has covered just under 59,000 miles and seems to be in quite good shape.

    While Audi exclusive Solar Orange paint may be the headline, the high-rev 4.2 liter V8 under hood is nothing to scoff at either. At an asking price of $36,000, this Tailored Driver is an incredibly interesting proposition, and one we’d be more than happy to call our own.

    See the full listing with additional information, here.

  • Orange Flame Satin Bentley Continental GT Speed First Edition at The Quail

    Orange Flame Satin Bentley Continental GT Speed First Edition at The Quail

    Bentley shared a few weeks ago that a bespoke Continental GT Speed First Edition crafted by Mulliner would headline its presence at Monterey Car Week. So, while at The Quail during car week, we swung through the Bentley stand to check it out. While there, we also snagged a few “real world” photos of the car in its captivating Orange Flame Satin paint.

    Below are our shots, including a few from Bentley as well. One of the shots includes Bentley’s full build spec sheet on the car.

  • Color Check: Mercedes-AMG 63 GT in Copper Orange Magno

    Color Check: Mercedes-AMG 63 GT in Copper Orange Magno

    Mercedes-AMG turned to Facebook to drop a few photos of this very interesting specification. The copper orange theme is strong here, making you wonder you wonder if the Pumpkin Spice is getting a bit strong at the office espresso bar.

    Seriously though, MANUFAKTUR Copper Orange Magno is a color we sometimes see on G-Wagens, though looks exquisite here on an AMG GT 63 S E Performance. Also interesting is the badging. It’s hard to tell, but the typically silver or polished aluminum brightwork such as the new yet classic AMG badge on the hood and the AMG lettering on the trunk appear to be copper finished themselves? Are they, simply carrying the orange light that bathes the car in this studio shoot or is there a new copper finish available?

    If you know, let us know in the comments and if we find out for sure we’ll update this story.

  • Bespoke, new Bentley Continental GT Speed Leads Monterey Car Week Debut

    Bespoke, new Bentley Continental GT Speed Leads Monterey Car Week Debut

    • The new, fourth-generation Continental GT Speed has arrived in the US, Bentley’s biggest market
    • Leading the charge is a unique, bespoke example commissioned through Mulliner, Bentley’s in-house personalisation division
    • New Continental GT Speed coupe and Convertible to make US public debut at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering on Friday 16th August
    • Start of official US tour for new model, including customer test drives
    • Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain features 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 paired with powerful electric motor
    • 782 PS (771 bhp) and 1,000 Nm (738 lb.ft) make the new GT Speed the most powerful and most dynamic Bentley yet
    • Speed Six Continuation Series and 1961 S2 Drophead Coupe travel to the USA for Monterey Car Week

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, UK – Bentley’s new, fourth-generation Continental GT Speed is to make its US debut this week, at the prestigious The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering – part of Monterey Car Week. The launch will feature the first new Continental GT Speed to include bespoke content added by Mulliner, Bentley’s in-house personalisation and coachbuilding division.

    Responsible not only for bespoke work to mainstream Bentley models, now including the new Continental GT Speed, Mulliner also created the Blower and Speed Six Continuation Series and the exquisite and highly limited Bacalar, Batur and Batur Convertible coachbuilt Bentleys.

    Personally Commissioned Through Mulliner
    From launch, the new Continental GT Speed is available with personalised details through Mulliner’s Personal Commissioning Guide. This permits customers to explore their imagination away from the typical options list, which alone can create tens of billions of possible specification combinations.

    For Monterey Car Week, an orange-themed GT Speed created through Mulliner will lead the fleet. The exterior paintwork is finished in Orange Flame Satin, one of 15 satin colours in Bentley’s paint range that each take up to 55 hours of craftsmanship to apply and finish to the perfect standard. In contrast to the orange bodywork, all exterior brightware is finished in gloss black, with matching black-painted 22” ten-spoke wheels with self-levelling badges. The visual impact of the specification is matched aurally, thanks to a sports exhaust and the Naim for Bentley audio system.

    The interior is where the Personal Commissioning Guide elements come to the fore. Starting from a cabin crafted in Gravity Grey (a new shade for the new Continental GT Speed) and Brunel leathers, accents of contrast orange bring the cockpit to life. The Diamond Quilted areas to the seats, doors and rear quarter panels feature contrast-stitching in Gravity Grey. The same colour is used with a Piano finish in conjunction with Piano Brunel for dual finish painted fascias, with the centre console matching in Piano Brunel – both colours exactly matched to their respective hides.

    Accents in Mandarin – a bright orange – are then applied as a painted pinstripe to the fascias, door waistrails and the vanes of the upper ‘bullseye’ air vents. The split line through the two colours of the fascias carries a dark tint finish. The same Mandarin orange accent graces all four seats through contrast piping, carrying the orange theme from the exterior into the cabin.

    Bentley at Monterey Car Week
    A fleet of more than 30 new Continental GT Speeds has now arrived in North America, ready to start a nationwide dealer tour and a programme of customer drives and events to demonstrate the incredible potency of Bentley’s new Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain. The latest evolution of the Continental GT family features an all-new 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine paired with a powerful electric motor and 25.9 kWh battery, for an astonishing suite of performance statistics. The new Grand Tourer is a true everyday supercar and can accelerate from standstill to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds, achieve a top speed of 208 mph, and yet travel 50 miles on electric power alone on the EU drive cycle – while creating only 29 g/km of CO2  and with a total range of more than 500 miles.

    Bentley will continue its significant presence across Monterey Car Week for 2024. Along with the squadron of new Continental GT Speeds, two very special Bentleys have made the journey to California for the event

    Following a global dynamic debut at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Speed Six Continuation Series will appear on-the-road throughout Monterey Car Week. After the Bedford Grey ‘Factory Works’ car graced Goodwood, the Parsons Napier Green ‘Car Zero’ – which has recently completed the engineering test and development programme for the project – will be used for customer, media and VIP passenger rides across the week.

    The Bentley Heritage Collection’s 1961 S2 Drophead Coupe – one of just 15 ever made – will also join the event, fresh from a two-year restoration programme. The car represents Bentley’s first ever entry into the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, taking pride of place in the Post-War Touring class.

    Meanwhile, Bentley’s iconic Friday night dinner on Seal Rock Beach returns, sponsored this year by the Bentley Environmental Foundation and featuring some exciting new developments for the initiative. The new GT Speed coupe and Convertible will be joined by the S2 Drophead Coupe and Speed Six to form a Guard of Honour at Bentley’s famous Signature Party at the Beach & Tennis Club – the place to be on the Saturday night of Monterey Car Week.

    The new Continental GT Speed

    The fourth generation Continental GT Speed follows in the 21-year tradition of the Continental GT family by redefining the ultimate blend of supercar performance, handcrafted luxury and everyday usability.

    A comprehensive exterior and interior redesign with clean modern detailing follow the new design DNA established by the coachbuilt Bentley Bacalar and Batur. Outstanding performance is brought by the all-new Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain with 782 PS and 1,000 Nm, from a 4.0-litre V8 working in tandem with a 190 PS electric motor.

    The performance of the powertrain is matched by a new chassis system, with new two-chamber air springs paired with new dual-valve dampers, along with Bentley Dynamic Ride (48V active anti-roll control), eLSD and torque vectoring. Incredible body control and the best Continental GT ride comfort to date are the results, supported by a 49:51, rear-biased weight distribution for the first time in the car’s history.

    Under the skin, a suite of innovative modern technology delivers class-leading capability so that every journey is a seamless experience in terms of driver assistance, infotainment systems and connected car services.

    The new exterior continues the design revolution for Bentley’s future journey, with the biggest revision to the face of the Continental GT in two decades, and the first mainstream Bentley with single headlamps since the 1950s.

    World-leading Bentley interior cabin design, materials, quality, and craftsmanship continue with the introduction of further wellness seat technology, new air ionisation, three-dimensional leather textures, new modern quilting, and technical finishes such as new dark chrome.

    For the first time in the history of the Continental GT, the convertible Continental GTC is being launched concurrently with the coupe – providing ultimate flexibility for customers who appreciate both open topped and closed roof motoring.

    Both coupe and convertible models will be crafted entirely by hand at Bentley’s Dream Factory in Crewe, England. Production is due to begin in late Q3 with deliveries starting in Q4.

    About Bentley Motors

    Bentley Motors is the most sought-after luxury car brand in the world. The company’s headquarters in Crewe is home to all of its operations including design, R&D, engineering, Mulliner and production of the company’s five model lines, Continental GT, Continental GT Convertible, Flying Spur, Bentayga and Bentayga EWB. The combination of fine craftsmanship, using skills that have been handed down through generations, alongside engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology is unique to UK luxury car brands such as Bentley. It is also an example of high-value British manufacturing at its best. Bentley employs around 4,000 people at Crewe.

  • 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1 of 1 to be Live Auctioned for Charity by Gooding & Company During Monterey Car Week

    2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1 of 1 to be Live Auctioned for Charity by Gooding & Company During Monterey Car Week

    • One-of-one 2025 BMW M5 is a collaboration between BMW M, BMW Individual, and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®.
    • Unique interior and exterior finishes and details created exclusively for this special automobile.
    • The first 2025 BMW M5 delivered in North America (estimated delivery October 2024).
    • Proceeds from the sale will go to the Concours’ charitable partner, Pebble Beach Company Foundation.
    • The vehicle will be auctioned by Gooding & Company on Friday, August 16.

    [source: BMW AG]

    Woodcliff Lake, NJ – The all-new seve nth generation BMW M5 was revealed to the world earlier this month at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. And now, to celebrate the arrival of the 717-hp M Hybrid-powered super sedan in the US, BMW M and BMW Individual in collaboration with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® have created a one-of-a-kind special automobile that will be auctioned during Pebble Beach Automotive Week. The 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 will be the first 2025 M5 delivered in North America, and is distinguished by exclusive paint and upholstery colors, wheels, and bespoke interior details that make this M5 entirely unique.

    The 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 will be auctioned at no-reserve by Gooding & Company Friday, August 16. Proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, a charity that supports literacy and education programs for disadvantaged young people in Monterey County.

    The only 2025 BMW M5 finished in BMW Individual Frozen Orange metallic.
    Taking inspiration from the spectacular orange hues of a Pebble Beach sunset, the BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 makes a strong first impression with its striking coat of BMW Individual Frozen Orange metallic (frozenorange; metallic matte; C41; BMW) paint. The stunning color was scheduled to be discontinued from BMW Plant Dingolfing prior to the start of M5 production, meaning the body of the Pebble Beach M5 had to be painted weeks in advance. This also ensured that no other 2025 M5 would be painted the same color.

    The paint is complimented by hand-painted orange accents on the staggered M Dual-Spoke Bicolor wheels, Style 951M, mounted on performance tires. The 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels surround massive M Carbon Ceramic brakes with calipers finished in Matte Gold.

    A dramatic interior package befitting such a distinctive vehicle.
    The tech-forward, driver-oriented interior has been appointed in a completely unique color scheme. The M Multi-Function seats are finished in Kyalami Orange and Silverstone Extended Merino leather – a combination created specifically for the #1/1 and unavailable on the standard production M5. The headrests of both front seats are emblazoned with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® logo, using an innovative new printing technology, just above the illuminated M5 badge.

    Carbon Fiber Silver Thread High Gloss trim with Dark Silver Accent spans the dashboard and is adorned with the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® logo just to the right of the BMW Curved Display, with “#1/1” leaving no doubt about this M5’s individuality. The logo and #1/1 inscription are also present on the front doorsills.

    In total, the 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 is fitted with over $57,000 worth of bespoke options. Much of the finishing was done by hand at the M works in Garching, the spiritual home of the M5 where the first two generations were largely hand-built.

    Premium features and technology for the everyday drive.
    The 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 will spoil the winning bidder with a full complement of performance, luxury, and infotainment features.

    The Driving Assistance Professional Package permits the Lane Keeping Assistant with Side Collision Protection and Distance Control to be used when travelling at highway speeds. At lower speeds up to 40 mph, the Traffic Jam Assistant can provide attentive, unlimited hands-free driving to ease the strain of especially dense traffic situations on limited access highways.

    The Executive Package brings illumination to the kidney grille, a power rear sunshade and manual rear side window shades, front ventilated seats, and Parking Assistant Plus. The Carbon Package includes a CFRP roof panel, rear spoiler, and mirror caps. And M Drive Professional adds two additional, track-oriented driving modes – DYNAMIC and DYNAMIC PLUS – designed to ensure the combustion engine and electric motor are both active and the cooling system is conditioned for track driving.

    Finally, the M Driver’s Package raises the M5’s top speed to 190 mph and includes a 1-day high-performance driving class at a BMW Performance Center.

    It is estimated that delivery of the M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 to the winning bidder will occur in late October 2024.  Gooding & Company’s auction listing can be viewed here. Interested parties can register to bid at www.goodingco.com/register.

    The 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 will be on display from 10:00 AM Wednesday, August 14, at Gooding & Company’s space at Pebble Beach Parc du Concours, located on the corner of Stevenson Drive and Portola Road in Pebble Beach.

    BMW Group in America
    BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and assembles the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles as well as the BMW XM. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 349 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers,146 BMW motorcycle retailers, 104 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

  • BMW Individual Fire Orange – U94

    BMW Individual Fire Orange – U94

    This one is HOT! Fire Orange (U94) is famously associated with the BMW M3 GTS, a limited-edition track-focused variant of the E92 M3. It has since been available on other models through BMW Individual.

    Fire Orange is a bright and vivid orange, making it one of the more attention-grabbing colors in BMW’s palette. It typically has a high-gloss finish, which enhances its bold appearance and highlights the car’s lines and contours.

    Below is a gallery of several BMW cars painted in Fire Orange and posted to Instagram by some of our favorite accounts.

    @naranjag80  / 📸 @sta_media
    📸 @jetma.cz
    📸 @bmwofbridgeport
    📸 @motor_magnet
    📸 @dk96_cars
    📸 @baumanautofocus
    @dicklovettbmw_ / 📸 @kieranbicknell_
    📸 @romansinternational
    📸 @joeachilles
    📸 @dicklovett
  • 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.

  • New Porsche Panamera: Personalization

    New Porsche Panamera: Personalization

    Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur

    [source: Porsche AG]

    Individuality is at the core of the Porsche brand. There is therefore a large number of options already available for the new Panamera in the configurator to meet the customisation requirements of customers in this segment. In addition, Porsche’s overlapping customisation programmes Paint to Sample, Paint to Sample Plus and Sonderwunsch further broaden the already extensive standard range. Paint to Sample includes more than 50 predefined, technically approved colours for the Panamera. With the Paint to Sample Plus option, the paintwork can be chosen almost without restriction. This includes an extensive feasibility study.

    Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur has developed a number of directly configurable options for the new Panamera. These include the SportDesign package including sill trims in Black or Turbonite as well as the SportDesign package in Carbon Fibre + Aerokit and special 21-inch wheels. Six shades are available for each of the Exclusive Design and Sport Design wheels. In addition, there are tinted HD matrix LED headlights and tail lights with both departure and welcome-home animation. A special Sports exhaust system with tailpipes in dark bronze rounds off the exterior options for the new Panamera from the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur.

    Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur will also upgrade the interior on request. Interior packages in matt carbon with contrasts in Neodyme, Carmine Red or Ceramica can be configured directly. In addition, there are extended leather options, for example on the handles, the luggage compartment lid or the seat consoles. The leather-free finishes include the option of colour-coded decorative stitching and matching seat belts. The dial of the SportChrono cockpit watch can be configured in a matching Night Green on a Kalahari grey background. The GT sports steering wheel can be specified with a carbon trim on request. Even for vehicle keys and floor mats, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur offers particularly high-quality options.

    Panamera joins the Sonderwunsch programme

    Beyond the directly configurable options, Porsche pursues a systematic approach to customisation. The Sonderwunsch programme from Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur combines the maximum individuality of a custom workshop with the uncompromising perfection of a large car manufacturer. Porsche has now brought the eponymous 1970s programme to the present day. It enables customer-created, personalised one-offs professionally implemented by Porsche.

    The Sonderwunsch programme, which was restarted at the beginning of 2022, is comprised of three strands. First, customer-specific colour and material requirements in the interior and exterior can be integrated directly into the production run. The second strand is Factory Re-Commissioning. Here, it is possible to retrofit previously manufactured vehicles with new colour and material options according to special requirements. This is also possible after several years and in collaboration with Porsche Classic for classic Porsche vehicles. The third strand is the Factory One-Off option. At Porsche, this term describes cars that are not only customised or revised in terms of appearance, but also in terms of technology, at the customer’s request. The options range from a complete restoration to new technical developments. Depending on the vehicle’s age, the technical experts at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur or Porsche Classic take care of implementation.

    The implementation of special requests for the Porsche Panamera is carried out via Factory Re-Commissioning. The customer can become a co-project manager and work out their special wishes in close cooperation with Porsche designers and developers. They check the customer’s ideas for feasibility and work out the details with them, including technical certification. This ensures that the result meets all Porsche quality standards in every detail. The implementation takes place either directly after the production of the car or at a later stage – as desired.

    Panamera Turbo ‘Sonderwunsch’ demonstrates the potential of the Sonderwunsch programme

    Porsche demonstrated the almost unlimited options of the Sonderwunsch programme during the world premiere of the new Panamera. The Panamera Turbo ‘Sonderwunsch’ show car illustrates a number of possibilities. Specially created colour tones, individual accents and planning down to the last detail demonstrate the all-encompassing nature of the Sonderwunsch programme from Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur.

    The demonstration model, customised by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, was given a two-tone colour scheme in the specially mixed shade of Leblon Violet Metallic. This is a chestnut shade with a violet note. In an elaborate painting technique, the colour fades into a solid black in the lower third of the car. The door sills and front and rear spoiler lips are in solid black. The darkened headlights, tail lights and windows are perfectly matched, and the tailpipes were designed by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur designers in Black. They also mixed real gold flakes into the car’s clear lacquer coating, creating a spectacular glitter effect.

    The exterior of the Panamera Turbo ‘Sonderwunsch’ also features pinstripes in Avium Metallic with an integrated ‘Sonderwunsch’ logo. Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur also lacquered the face of the 21-inch centre-lock wheel rims and the frames of the side windows in this colour. In contrast, the rim base features the main shade of Leblon Violet Metallic.

  • Bentley Mulliner Bacalar Craftsmanship Nears Completion

    Bentley Mulliner Bacalar Craftsmanship Nears Completion

    • Handcrafted Bacalars near end of production
    • Eight cars now handed-over to customers around the world
    • Last four cars in final preparation by hand ready for delivery
    • Array of bespoke specifications shows diversity of customer requests
    • All cars created in Bentley Mulliner’s dedicated workshop in Crewe
    • Detailed spec of one Bacalar shows depth of customisation
    • Mulliner looks to the future for next bespoke model

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, England – Bentley Mulliner is completing the final stages of handcraftsmanship of 12 of the rarest Bentleys of the modern era – the exquisite Bacalar. The Bacalar is the ultimate expression of two-seat, open-air luxury and was the first in a new series of pinnacle bespoke projects that have spearheaded a return to coachbuilding by Bentley Mulliner – the oldest coachbuilder in the world. The imminent completion of the Bacalars will allow the Mulliner team to focus attention towards their next project, which will be revealed soon.

    Eight Bacalars – each in a unique colour designed by its customer – have now been handed to their owners around the world, with the final four cars in the last phases of preparation in Mulliner’s Crewe workshop for transport and delivery. With each car taking around six months to complete, the last tasks and quality checks mark the end of a long and incredibly detailed process to craft each Bacalar according to its owner’s wishes. 

    Bacalar has been brought to life by Bentley Mulliner to revive its specialism in providing rare coachbuilt cars to only a few discerning customers. A roofless Barchetta design with all-new and highly muscular coachwork, embracing a myriad of options and materials, each Bacalar is truly unique, the result of direct interaction between the Bentley Mulliner design team and each individual customer. As with every car in the series, strictly limited to 12 examples, all cars have had every detail specified by their owners, and as such are totally bespoke to them.

    Each carbon fibre body is finished in a bespoke colour for each individual customer with no two cars being the same. The cars sit on unique 22” Tri-Finish wheels, with polished faces, dark grey satin spokes and accent highlights to complement the exterior.

    Maria Mulder, Head of Colour, Materials and Finishes, comments;

    ‘Designing a Bacalar is an exercise in imagination, with the material, colour and finish of practically every interior and exterior surface being bespoke. Regardless of your personal style, whether it be to specifying your Bacalar with a bold Yellow Flame exterior paint synthesised with rice husk ash, or a more subtle Moss Green that reflects Bentley’s heritage, developing your own artisan piping, or co-create a unique fabric blend, the Bacalar has provided all of these opportunities.’

    Uniquely designed details and features in the cabin emphasise the coachbuilt character of the car, with an almost infinite number of ways for the 12 customers to express their personal taste and commission a unique interior.

    Sustainable, ethically-sourced materials previewed in the EXP 100 GT concept car have now become reality in a number of the Bacalars. These include paint containing ash from rice husks, which provides a sustainable way of delivering a rich metallic finish, natural British wool and 5,000-year-old Riverwood sourced from the ancient Fenlands of East Anglia.

    From the use of precious inlays and unique finishes to the driver controls, to the 148,199 individual stitches needed to embroider the unique Bacalar quilt on each seat, owners will find details and components not seen before on a Bentley.

    Due to the nature of these personal commissions, Bentley is not able to reveal the identity of the customers nor where the cars will be heading. However, each customer shares a love of driving, along with an avid appreciation for craftsmanship, authenticity & attention to detail, all deeply associated with Mulliner.

    A Perfect Example

    One of the finished Bacalars took pride of place on Bentley’s show stand at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, during which time it was handed over to its new owner by Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive, Adrian Hallmark. The specification of the car is a perfect example of how every detail of a Bacalar was chosen by its customer.

    This Bacalar was finished in bespoke Sunset Orange (sunsetorange; metallic UNI; 6809 / 9560100; Bentley), with customised  tri-colour 22” wheels in dark grey satin with polished faces and gloss black highlights providing a bold contrast to the vibrant exterior. The centres of the headlamps were colour matched to the Sunset Orange bodywork, either side of a set of gloss black grilles and surrounds. The bonnet vents provided a textural difference being finished in satin carbon fibre, as were the wing mirrors. Satin carbon fibre also gave additional definition to the ‘power humps’ behind the front seats – accented with Sunset Orange brightware – along with the side skirts and rear diffuser, complemented by exhaust finishers with gloss black outers and matte black inners.

    Side vents and the rest of the exterior brightware are in gloss black, as are the insides of the exterior door handles. 

    A white and black cabin with Mandarin Orange accents creates a striking contemporary interior theme. A satin carbon fibre technical finish encapsulates the occupants, sweeping from one side of the cabin to the other, matching the exterior technical details harmoniously. Every panel and detail of the interior was specified to the customer’s choice, through careful combinations of leather and Alcantara in white, black and orange, gloss and satin metals in black, dark tint and bright chrome finishes, and the twin usage of both gloss and satin carbon fibre.

    Mandarin Orange leather accentuates the form of the top roll, the centre line in the steering wheel and both the door release and gear lever. This continues with further stitching details to the rear of the seats within the oval perforated Beluga piping and hand cross stitching along the door following the styling line around to the centre console.

    The Bacalar is the extreme example of how the tiniest of details included in every Bentley can accumulate to form a cabin unlike any other. This customer’s car is no exception, and details include:

    • The analogue clock faces of the Bentley Rotating Display provide a splash of contrast in Bacalar Blue.
    • The carpets feature a ‘diamond carved’ pattern, with binding and stitching in Mandarin Orange.
    • The split line between satin carbon fibre and gloss black in the luggage area – usually unseen and hidden by luggage – was specified to be in satin dark tint
    • The bespoke luggage that fits behind the seats feature Alcantara uppers to match the car, along with embroidery in Mandarin Orange and oval-perforated beluga piping with a Mandarin Orange core – exactly replicating the finish to the back of the fronts seats

    Infinite Choice

    The specification of every Bentley is a voyage of discovery, with even a ‘standard’ model being configurable in literally billions of ways. The process of designing a Mulliner goes even further – with infinite combinations of materials, colours and finishes. The exquisite grand tourers that result are only bounded by the law of the land and the imagination of the customer. The next coachbuilt model from Mulliner – to be revealed soon – will be no exception.