In August this year, Bentley unveiled the Batur coupe, a very exclusive model to be built by Bentley Mulliner and limited to only 18 units, each priced at from £1.65 million (about RM8.9 million). Named after a beautiful lake in Bali, the Batur is the second bespoke project by Bentley Mulliner after the Bacalar and the first customers (all units have already been booked) should start getting their cars in mid-2023..
With development work completed and two prototypes available, real-world testing is now underway to verify the performance after an extensive engineering program. The validation activities, with more than 120 individual tests, include durability for both the engine and whole vehicle, environmental compatibility and sunlight simulation, high speed stability, aerodynamics, noise & vibration, and driving dynamics.
Over 58 weeks of vehicle validation are planned, supplementing 100+ weeks of vehicle development already completed to validate the increased engine power. The first activity for Car #0 is an extensive 2,500-km drive across Europe to simulate real-world conditions. The route leaves Germany and travels through Italy, France and Spain before high-speed testing work is undertaken at proving grounds.
At the proving grounds, there will be 7 weeks of durability work on handling tracks, mixed road conditions, high-speed testing and abusive surface conditions. During all of these activities, data and feedback are collated ensuring the technical targets are being met.
When the proving ground work is complete, another 7,500 kms on public roads will take place. Then comes environmental testing commences where, in just under 4 weeks, the car will endure 600 hours of solar loading – equivalent to 5 years in the desert in Arizona, USA. This is particularly important for the new sustainable materials used in the exterior components, as an alternative to carbonfibre.
By the time the first customer deliveries begin, over 810 unique parts will have completed 160 weeks of testing and development, delivering the ultimate coachbuilt grand tourer.
“There are a number of unique features that bring new challenges,” said Paul Williams, Chief Technical Officer for Bentley Mulliner. “For example, the exterior headlamps are very compact LED units and made to our styling teams challenging proportions, which transforms the exterior appearance of the car but are complex to produce. Even small details such as the angle of the diamond in the front grille representing the cylinder angle in the W12 engine have had to be considered. And even though there will only be 18 Baturs produced, the level of quality has to be identical to every one of the 15,000 cars Bentley is currently producing each year.”
“We’re also working with the most powerful development of the W12 in its 20-year history, which brings an enormous validation programme,” he added. The Batur will also be the most powerful Bentley yet, with a 740+ ps 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 2 decades.
Over 100+ weeks of powertrain development have already been completed to confirm the new air intake system, modified turbochargers, revised intercoolers and new calibrations for the engine gearbox and electronic stability control for the engine.
Each Batur will be unique as the 18 customers will be able to specify the colour and finish of practically every surface. From the main exterior paint to the surface finish of the air vents, and literally everything in between, each customer can choose even the tiniest of details. If required, a team of experts from Bentley Mulliner will provide guidance and suggestions.
Car #0, though a development unit, has had the same level of attention to detail as a customer’s own specification. The exterior paintwork is a bespoke colour – Purple Sector – that provides a deep vibrant colour across the curvaceous surfaces. The bodywork is underscored by front splitters, side skirts and rear diffuser in a high gloss natural fibre finish. The ‘endless bonnet’ line is finished in Satin Titanium paint, as are the 22-inch wheels – with the spokes in Gloss and Satin Black Crystal to match the grille.
One small addition customers will not receive that can be seen on Batur Car #0 are the small white arrowheads found at the edges of the body panels. These markers help to provide feedback on panel movement and any form of relaxation whilst the car is undertaking the durability testing.
Using advanced manufacturing techniques, it is possible for tooling investment to be kept to a minimum which drives lower material and energy usage in the manufacturing processes. Pending successful testing, Sustainability plays a key role in the Batur to help drive the development of sustainable features for future generations of coachbuilt Bentley models.
