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Photo: Bentley
Everything looks better with (tastefully done) bling, and limited-edition handcrafted cars are no exception. Enter Batur, the latest project by Bentley’s in-house bespoke division Mulliner, promising one of the most exceptional grand tourers in the British marque’s 103-year history alongside cutting-edge technology to add some much needed bling where it counts.
Announced in August last year, the Batur – named after Lake Batur in Kintamani, Bali – is a two-door grand touring coupe packing a hand-assembled, twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine under the hood. This makes it the most powerful Bentley yet – a fitting last hurrah for the iconic engine and combustion engines in general, even as Bentley shuffles towards its full electrification plans.
While some of the Batur’s headline numbers like top speed and century sprint have yet to be unveiled, we know that the familiar W12 motor its packing produces more than 730 horsepower, with a torque output at around 1000Nm. The engine is also outfitted with a titanium exhaust system, complete with 3D-printed tailpipe finishers. In short, expect it to be exceedingly quick.
The Bentley’s sleek angular exterior points to the brand’s updated design language for its future range of battery electric vehicles, while its interior bears all the sustainability-focused touches you’d expect from a contemporary vehicle, including low-carbon leather from Scotland and Italy and carpets made from recycled yarn.
Sustainable alternatives to leather and carbon fibre are also incorporated into the cabin, as are an industry-first process to embellish its interiors with 3D-printed gold details. Expect up to 210g of 18 carat yellow gold (completely recycled from old jewellery) on the ‘Charisma Dial’, which surrounds the engine start button and allows drivers to change driving modes; the Organ Stop vent controls on the dash; and some gold panache on the steering wheel itself.
Only 18 of these vehicles will roll out of Bentley’s factory in Crewe, England – and they’ve already been spoken for by Mulliner clients. This project is the successor to 2021’s Bacalar, which saw a collection of a dozen vehicles named for a lake in Mexico.
