The Bentley Mulliner Batur Points the Way Towards the Future

Yank open the hood, and you’ll find Bentley’s venerable twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 engine. Sadly, this will likely be one of the last times that motor finds a use in a new Flying B; it’s slated to be axed out as the brand goes all electrified (a.k.a. all plug-in-hybrids and EVs) in the next couple years. But at least it’s going out with a bang, making more power than the engine of any roadgoing Bentley ever: at least 730 horsepower and 734 lb-ft of torque.

Beneath that sultry skin (more on that in a sec) also lies a host of Bentley’s best performance and handling features: an electronic limited-slip differential, torque vectoring, four-wheel steering, active anti-roll bars, and a performance-tuned air suspension setup among them. If that all sounds familiar, well, you’ve probably read our review of the Continental GT Speed.

The mechanicals may be familiar, but the design certainly isn’t. From its slimline headlamps to its fastback tail, the Batur’s looks aren’t like anything else in the Bentley portfolio today.

It is, however, a lot like what the Bentley portfolio of tomorrow will look like, according to the brand. Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark said as much himself: “The Batur showcases the design direction that we’re taking in the future as we develop our range of BEVs,” the CEO said in a statement at the launch of the car in Monterey, California. “[Andres] Mindt and his team have reimagined the classic Bentley design cues into a stronger, bolder design that remains both elegant and graceful.”

The interior’s basic layout will look familiar to anyone who’s checked out the inside of a Continental GT, but it’s even more customizable – as you’d expect from a product made by the brand’s bespoke division, no doubt. One piece that should be in all Baturs, though: the etching of the W12’s engine note transcribed onto the passenger’s side of the dashboard.

Bentley is at the forefront of sustainability in the automotive space, and the Batur advances that even further. Buyers have a bevy of sustainable materials to choose from for the inside, from low-carbon Scottish sourced leather to a woven twill substitute for carbon fiber to carpets made from recycled yarn.

In the launch car revealed in california, the interior’s metal trim pieces are mostly a mix of blacked-out aluminum and satin-colored titanium — but there’s also splashes of 3D-printed 18-karat gold inside, such as om the steering wheel and the drive selector knob.

Suffice it to say, if you’re just learning about the Batur now, you probably missed the chance to buy one, even if you have the couple million bucks needed lying around. Only 18 will be made, and all have already been spoken for.

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