11:20 am, August 22, 2022
Bentley has launched the new limited-run Batur, showcasing how its electric cars of the future could look.
There’ll be just 18 examples of the Mulliner-built model, with each one costing £1.65m excluding local taxes and options.
It’ll be Bentley’s most powerful model yet, thanks to the 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine, producing 730bhp and 1,00Nm of torque.
The Batur also incorporates Bentley’s ‘most advanced chassis ever’, with air suspension, electric anti-roll control, an electronic limited-slip differential plus four-wheel-steering all included.
The #Bentley #Mulliner #Batur. Powerful, future-forward sculpted exterior surfaces combined with state-of-the-art materials and engineering. Passion and craftsmanship in every detail. pic.twitter.com/TeDlxuJWtR
— Bentley Motors (@BentleyMotors) August 21, 2022
The launch follows last week’s release of another teaser image by Bentley.
Adrian Hallmark, Bentley’s chairman and chief executive, said: ‘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.
‘Design director Andi Mindt and his team have reimagined the classic Bentley design cues into a stronger, bolder design that remains both elegant and graceful.
The interior of the Bentley Batur is finished to a high standard
‘Beneath the beautiful exterior lies the most powerful engine we’ve ever developed.
‘Our W12 engine is easily the most successful 12-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.’
The exterior incorporates a traditionally long bonnet, although the usual Bentley grille has been positioned lower and more upright, while the headlights have been redesigned from usual Bentley models.
At the back, the lights sit either side of a deployable spoiler.
Customers can choose from a variety of materials for the Batur’s interior, including Scottish leather or Dinamica, which is a microfibre partly made from recycled polyester.
A new sustainable alternative to carbon fibre can also be used for the fascias. This natural fibre composite comprises a twill weave that’s then given a satin lacquer.
There are a number of options for the car’s controls, too, with the classic organ stops for the ventilation available in 3D-printed 18-carat gold.
Bentley expects deliveries to start in the middle of 2023 after an ‘extensive development programme’.
