Bentley Mulliner Batur: First Look

© Rod Hatfield, Automotive Content ExperienceBentley Mulliner Batur
Debuting at Monterey Car Week on the eve of the 2022 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the Bentley Mulliner Batur is the next coachbuilt Bentley model from Mulliner following the Bacalar. Named after Lake Batur in Kintamani on the island of Bali, Indonesia, a mere 18 examples of the Batur will be produced, following a run of 12 individually specified, designed and handcrafted Bacalar Barchettas.

© Rod Hatfield, Automotive Content ExperienceAlready Reserved
The latest project from Bentley’s inhouse coachbuilding division, the Batur follows the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar, a production of 12 individually specified and handcrafted Barchettas that marked the beginning of a new era of coachbuilding at Bentley. The run of 18 Baturs has already been reserved, and each one will be designed in collaboration with the customer and the Bentley design team.

© Rod Hatfield, Automotive Content ExperienceDesign Direction
“The Batur is a significant car for Bentley,” commented Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Adrian Hallmark. “Far more than the heir to the highly successful Bacalar, the Batur showcases the design direction that we are taking in the future as we develop our range of BEVs. Andy Mindt and his team have reimagined the classic Bentley design cues into a stronger, bolder design that remains both elegant and graceful,” Hallmark noted.

© Rod Hatfield, Automotive Content ExperienceDesign Pedigree
The Bentley Mulliner Batur was created by Bentley Director of Design Andreas Mindt and his team, including Head of Exterior Design Tobias Suehlmann and Head of Interior Design Andrew Hart-Barron. The Bentley design language that has produced the Continental GT, Flying Spur and Bentayga models advances with new themes, previewing a new design direction for Bentley’s first battery-electric vehicle due to launch in 2025.

© Bentley MotorsReimagined Bentley Design
“For any design team, the challenge to redefine our own rules is the most exciting challenge,” explained Mindt. “We have reimagined the Bentley design language, keeping some continuity to the past and present while also drastically changing key elements. . . . Our new design cues include a line that stretches from the bonnet along the whole length of the car, connecting the bonnet into the body, making the car long and lean and giving an elongated proportion to the front end. We call this feature the ‘endless bonnet’ and it’s the only accent highlight to the cleaner shape,” observed Mindt.

© Bentley MotorsMulliner Batur Exterior Design
At the front, the updated Bentley grille sits lower and more upright, creating a stronger face and a more aggressive stance. The new headlight design and shape is an evolution of the Bacalar headlight and retains the single large light on each side. At the rear are new taillights flank a deployable rear spoiler. To summarize, “Overall the form is cleaner and simplified, and we rely more on curvaceous surfaces bisected in the right places to reflect light and dark and bring more muscle to the design,” said Mindt.

© Bentley MotorsMost Powerful Bentley W12
In 2002 when the Bentley Continental GT debuted, it was powered by a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12, and the Bentley Mulliner Batur features the most powerful version of that iconic engine. The Batur engine receives a new intake system, upgraded turbochargers, new intercoolers and electronic upgrades to produce more than 730 horsepower The W12 gets mated with Bentley’s 8-speed dual-clutch transmission and fitted with a titanium sport exhaust system. Over the past 20 years the power output of the 6.0-liter W112 has increased by 40 percent while fuel economy has improved by 20 percent.

© Bentley MotorsSpecifically Tailored
Each Bentley Mulliner Batur customer will work with the Mulliner design team to create their own individual Batur, tailored specifically to their preferences with an array of colors, materials and textures. “The 18 lucky customers who have already reserved their Batur will enjoy an unrivalled co-creation experience with our Mulliner Design team in specifying their cars,” explained Hallmark.

© Bentley MotorsExterior Colors, Options
Exterior color choice for the Mulliner Batur is essentially unlimited, beginning with the full Mulliner color palette and extending to bespoke paint and hand-painted graphics. The front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser can be carbon fiber or a new, sustainable Natural Fibre composite. Exterior trim can be a mix of light or dark, satin or gloss and titanium. An option, shown on the debut car at Pebble Beach, is graduated contract color for the grille. Wheel options include 22-inch examples in Black Crystal with a bright machined surface, or dark gloss faces with satin spokes.

© Rod Hatfield, Automotive Content ExperiencePebble Beach Debut
The Bentley Mulliner Batur that debuted at Pebble Beach appeared finished in Bonneville Pearlescent Silver to provide a flowing contrast across the car’s surfaces. The carbon fiber front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser are finished in Black Crystal, and the grille is finished in Gloss Dark Titanium with accents of Hyperactive Orange in the center that fade to Black Crystal. The “endless bonnet” line is finished in Satin Titanium, and the wheels are also Satin Titanium with the spokes in Satin Dark Titanium to match the grille.

© Bentley MotorsBentley Mulliner Batur Interior
The interior of the two-seat Bentley Mulliner Batur is also customized to the specifications of each customer, including choices of seating surfaces in low-carbon leather from Scotland, sustainable tannage leather from Italy, or Dinamica — a suede-like leather alternative. A range of wood veneers are offered as well as a new Natural Fibre composite. Trim options include bright, dark or titanium with certain controls such as the organ stops for ventilation available in 3D-printed 18k gold.

© Bentley MotorsInterior Appointments
The interior of the launch Batur features a combination of black, red and orange, aptly named Beluga, Hotspur and Hyperactive. The main leather is Beluga, contrasted with Mulliner Hyperactive Orange leather accented with Dinamica in both Beluga and Hotspur. Batur Chevrons on the outer edges of the seats are embroidered by hand with Snap Orange thread with white contrast stitching throughout the interior. The instrument panel veneer is Gloss Black with a fade to Fine Brodgar then back to black. Metal accents are black anodized aluminum and satin titanium. The Bentley Dynamic Drive Selector and steering wheel center band are 18k gold.

© Bentley MotorsDelivery Date
Deliveries of the first completed Bentley Mulliner Baturs are expected in mid-2023. Starting price is approximately $1.9 million excluding taxes and options.

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