Bentley’s latest grand tourer, the coach-built Batur, has completed its whole vehicle development program, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of performance and durability. Work now commences on the build of customer cars, each of which will feature bespoke craftsmanship and take around four months to handcraft – with the last one to be completed at the end of 2024.
Following on from the creation of two development vehicles, just 18 Batur customer cars will be produced by hand in the Mulliner workshops. However, no concession has been made in Bentley’s rigorous testing regime, which includes durability tests on handling tracks, real-world road conditions, high-speed testing beyond 200 mph, and rough surfaces.
Other tests included 600 hours of solar loading, equivalent to five years in an Arizona desert, to ensure that the sustainable materials used in the Batur’s construction will be robust enough to endure a lifetime’s use.
Car Zero is no ordinary development mule. It was built to the same levels of craftsmanship as each of the 18 customer cars to come. Its bespoke exterior called Purple Sector, is complemented by front splitters, side skirts and a rear diffuser in a high gloss natural fibre finish.
The main matrix grille in Gloss Dark Titanium is accented with contrast chevrons in a horizontal ombré pattern that flows from Purple Sector in the centre, gradually darkening to Black Crystal at the periphery. The ‘endless bonnet’ line is finished in Satin Titanium, while the 22-inch wheels feature spokes in Gloss and Satin Black Crystal.
A second development Batur, Engineering Car Zero-Zero, is finished in Marina Teal finish. These finishes, and new components such as the one-off LED headlamp units, faced a series of tough durability tests, which included a 2,500 km European tour, high-speed testing at closed circuits, and extended exposure to the harshest environments. In total, over 800 unique and one-off components have been tested and proved in 160 simultaneous weeks of intensive development work.
The W12 engine that powers Batur has its origins from the Continental GT of 2003. Now, as Bentley begins its journey to full electrification, the Batur’s W12 represents a celebration of this remarkable engine. Its 740bhp peak output makes it the most powerful W12 and therefore the most powerful Bentley powertrain ever built.
Its new air intake system, modified turbochargers, revised intercoolers and new calibrations for engine, transmission and electronic stability control were tested to the limit in over 100 weeks of powertrain development. The engine’s performance is matched to the most advanced Bentley chassis specification ever. Highlights include Speed-tuned air suspension, electric active anti-roll control, eLSD, four-wheel steering and torque vectoring.
