Mulliner Batur development completed: Bentley

BENTLEY announced this week that development of its strictly limited edition Mulliner Batur coupe is complete. Customer vehicle production will commence later this year, with just 18 of the coach-built specials being made.

The Continental GT Speed-based Mulliner Batur coupe is the sister car to the Bacalar convertible and serves as a bridge between its internal combustion and forthcoming electric ranges.

As such, the model is one of the last to feature Bentley’s 544kW/1003Nm twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12. The engine is modified to accept a new air intake, larger turbochargers and revised intercoolers, the tweaks gifting the Mulliner Batur the distinctive title of the most powerful road-going Bentley yet.

The uprated power is matched by a recalibrated transmission control module and revised stability control system Bentley said involved more than 100 weeks of development.

Bentley utilised a pair of test vehicles – dubbed Car Zero and Car Zero-Zero – in its extensive test program, which began late last year. The assessment included a 2400km European tour, high-speed testing at speeds up to 320km/h, and more than 600 hours of solar loading, or the equivalent of the car being parked in the desert for five years.

The tests were in part aimed at ensuring the quality of the vehicle’s hand-crafted materials and finishes were up to the task… including the cabin’s 3D-printed gold garnishing, made from recycled jewellery.

Bentley showed the Mulliner Batur to the public at last year’s Monterey Car Week in California, the ultra-premium grand tourer said to offer a glimpse of the brand’s future styling as it transitions into the EV age.

“The Batur is a significant car for Bentley. Far more than the heir to the highly successful Bacalar, the Batur showcases the design direction that we’re taking in the future as we develop our range of BEVs,” said Bentley chairman and chief executive, Adrian Hallmark.

“Beneath the beautiful exterior lies the most powerful engine we’ve ever developed. Our W12 engine is easily the most successful twelve-cylinder automotive engine in history, and as it approaches its retirement to make way for future hybrids and BEVs, we want to mark its accomplishments.”

And if you think you might like to put your name down for a Bentley Batur, well we regret to inform that you’re plum out of luck. All 18 examples are pre-sold, with each taking four months to hand build. The asking price? A cool $A2.8 million apiece.