Bentley's Design Revolution
Bentley has previewed their new design language with the new Batur coupe, the most powerful Bentley in history.
Aug 22, 2022
The new two-door grand touring coupé, limited to just 18 examples, is the latest project by Bentley’s in-house bespoke and coachbuilding division, Mulliner, and succeeds the Bacalar – a run of 12 individually specified, designed and handcrafted Barchettas that relaunched coachbuilding at Bentley.
Created by Director of Design Andreas Mindt and his team, the Batur is a showcase of a new design DNA that will ultimately guide the design of Bentley’s future range of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs).
The Batur was unveiled at Bentley’s Signature Party at Monterey Car Week, in front of almost 500 VIP guests, by Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive, Adrian Hallmark, who confirmed the limited-edition vehicle’s role in the future of Bentley, “The Batur is a significant car for Bentley. Far more than the heir to the highly successful Bacalar, the Batur showcases the design direction we’re taking in the future as we develop our range of BEVs. Andi Mindt and his team have reimagined the classic Bentley design cues into a stronger, bolder design that remains both elegant and graceful.”
The Batur will also be the most powerful Bentley yet, with a 544kW version of the iconic, hand-assembled 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine that has metaphorically and literally powered Bentley’s success for the last two decades. As the engine enters its twilight years as part of Bentley’s Beyond100 transformation journey to being fully electrified, the Batur forms the first part of a celebration of the W12’s extraordinary power, torque and refinement. Engine performance will be matched to the most advanced Bentley chassis ever, with Speed-tuned air suspension, electric active anti-roll control, eLSD, four-wheel steering and torque vectoring.
All 18 examples of the Batur have already been reserved. Each one will be designed collaboratively with each customer, guided by Mulliner’s in-house design team. Customers will be able to specify the colour and finish of practically every surface of the Batur, to create a car as individual as they are. Each one will be handcrafted over several months in Mulliner’s workshop at Bentley’s carbon-neutral factory in Crewe, England, with first deliveries expected in mid-2023.
Clients can choose from sustainable interior materials, including Low-carbon leather sourced from Scotland, which travels significantly smaller distances than leather sourced from outside the UK. At the same time, the range of veneers available for the fascias includes a new material for Bentley – Natural Fibre composite, a sustainable alternative to carbon fibre. Available as a 2x2 twill weave and finished in satin lacquer, the Natural Fibre composite brings a new sustainable texture to the cabin. Regardless of the veneer chosen, the passenger fascia panel is finished with a unique etching of the audio signature of the W12 engine – and bespoke etching is also available.
The final sustainable elements are the carpets matched to the leather and made from recycled yarn, a first for Bentley.