For the first time in a long time, a Bentley car will look a little different. The new Bentley Mulliner Batur coupe debuted in Monterey, California, this week, and features a preview of what all the models will look like.
Batur produced the Bentley design language which is now used in several ways. Separate round headlights are missing and the coupe features sleek triple-beam headlight fixtures with LED accents that protrude towards the front fender. An evolutionary new grille with aggressive bumper details underneath, unique 22-inch alloy wheels housed in the wheel bays, and the taillights are even slimmer than before.
Batur was created by Design Director Andreas Mindt and his team at Bentley. Mindt joined Bentley in 2021 after 25 years working elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group with brands such as VW and Audi; You may remember Mindt as the designer behind the electric Audi E-Tron.
Similar to the E-Tron, Mulliner Batur will guide Bentley’s styling as the automaker transitions to EV production as part of its “Beyond100” strategy. Bentley hopes to be fully electric by 2030, but the Mulliner Batur itself is not electric.
Bentley’s ubiquitous 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine lives under the hood, tuned here to produce 710 horsepower (544 kilowatts) and 738 pound-feet (1,000 newton-meters) of torque. It is the most powerful car the company has ever built, and features an advanced air suspension that adds electrically active anti-roll, electronic limited-slip differential and four-wheel steering.
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The interior of Batur is not much different from the exterior. Inspired by last year’s Bacalar, the cabin maintains its Bentley-style identity with the latest materials adapted to the style every customer loves – all done with the environment in mind, of course.
Three sustainable material options are available in Batur: Scottish and Italian leather and Dinamica faux suede. The carpet is made from recycled yarn, a first for the company. And instead of carbon fiber, Bentley uses natural fiber composites that are said to be more sustainable. For those who want to look their best, Bentley even offers custom 3D printed components in 18 ct gold.
Bentley will only make 18 Mulliner Batur for a hefty £1.65 million (about $2.0 million USD at current conversion rates), and as you might expect, each one counts. Production begins early 2023 after final testing is complete with the first few examples expected to reach customers later in the same year.
