Bentley Motors has unveiled the Mulliner Batur, the latest creation by Bentley’s in-house bespoke and coachbuilding division, Mulliner. The new Batur succeeds the Bacalar and showcases the company’s new design language for its future range of battery electric vehicles, with the first model set for debut in 2025.
The Mulliner Batur’s name was inspired by Lake Batur, an 88-metre deep, 16 km crater lake in Kintamani, Bali, Indonesia, that provides nutrient-rich water to both local hot springs and agriculture.
The Batur features the most powerful engine to be fitted in a Bentley yet. It’s home to the latest iteration of the company’s 6.0 litre W12 engine that’s paired to an eight-speed double-clutch transmission, producing 740 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque.
Contributing to the enormous power is a new intake system, upgraded turbochargers, new intercoolers, and a full titanium exhaust system. For the first time in a Bentley vehicle, the exhaust tips are 3D printed in titanium.
Ever since it debuted in the Continental GT 20 years ago in 2002, the 12-cylinder engine has been continuously improved. As a result, it’s now nearly 40% more powerful while fuel economy has improved by 25%. Bentley claims its W12 engine to be the most advanced 12-cylinder engine in the world.
In Bentley’s own words, the Batur takes on a ‘resting beast stance’ akin to a lion or tiger, laying low in attack position. The new ‘endless bonnet’ design sees a Satin Titanium line stretch from the front bonnet and across the whole length of the car, making it look long and lean. According to Bentley, the long front bonnet has always been a mark of power and prestige.
The Batur sits on 22-inch wheels wrapped with Pirelli tyres as standard and was revealed in a bespoke Bonneville Pearlescent Silver exterior paintwork. Sitting behind the bespoke wheels are Bentley’s Carbon Silicon Carbide (CSiC) brake discs, clamped by 10-pot calipers in the front, and four-pot at the rear. Add-ons to the exterior include carbon fibre front splitters, side skirts and a rear diffuser.
The famous Bentley front grille is now lower and more upright while its horizontal ombre pattern is finished in Hyperactive Orange and Black Crystal. The grille is flanked by newly designed headlamps, while the rear features a deployable spoiler that sits between the all-new taillamps.
The Batur’s new look represents a new chapter for Bentley vehicle design, as part of the company’s Beyond100 transformational journey to become the world’s leading sustainable luxury mobility company.
The Batur features adaptive air suspension that offers different levels of ride comfort via four drive modes – Sport, Bentley, Comfort, Custom – through its Drive Dynamics Control system. Contributing to the Batur’s agility and stability is the 48V active anti-roll control system. Traction and cornering grip are enhanced with an electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD) along with torque vectoring.
Like the exterior, the Batur’s interior is also inspired by the Bacalar. However, it’s furnished with new sustainable luxury features including low-carbon leather from Scotland, sustainable tannage leather from Italy and Dinamica, an alternative suede-like material to leather.
The launch model features ‘Batur Chevrons’ on the seats, embroidered by hand in Snap Orange thread. As for the rest of the interior, it’s made up of three main colours – Beluga Black, Hotspur Red and Hyperactive Orange.
The cabin of the Batur also features a new sustainable alternative to carbon fibre called Natural Fibre, a 2×2 twill weave finished in satin laquer. Each unit of the Batur comes with a unique laser-etching of its W12 engine audio signature on the dashboard. For the first time in a Bentley, the carpets are made of recycled yarn. 18K gold is applied to the 12 o’clock centre band on the steering wheel, drive selector and even the organ stops for the air-con vents.
All 18 units of the Batur have been reserved with each designed to the exact specifications by each customer. Each unit, starting from £1.65 million pounds before options and duties, will be handcrafted at the Mulliner workshop at Bentley’s carbon neutral factory in Crewe, England. First deliveries are expected to take place in mid-2023.
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Testing the market perception of a new design direction while having the customer to pay for it. Great idea.
The new design direction to me looks like it is going somewhere towards the current volvo design theme. Going totally opposite of the current bentley design direction.
Current bentley design is hefty but curvy overall, with sharp details in strategic places. This new design embraces the hefty and boxy overall shape (like volvo), with smooth curvy details in strategic places.