Mulliner Batur showcases the electric future of Bentley

Bentley Mulliner Batur is not an EV, it’s not even a hybrid. It has a lot of electric equipment and it even has a 48V electric anti-roll bars to keep it flat through fast corners. It has a four-wheel steering and an eLSD and it even has a 3D printed ring around the engine start button, out of 18K gold. But it isn’t electric.

It’s electrifying. Yes, it’s a cliche but it fits like a glove here. Bentley Mulliner Batur is a swan song and it’s a showcase of new design at the same time. The company has chosen Mulliner team, as the coach build specialists, to introduce a low volume car to its customers and prepare the rest of the world for an electric Bentley.

Bentley has got a mighty task on its hands, the loyal customers expect a powerful performance car with unmatched levels of comfort. Those customers are not too keen on design changes, if you look at Bentleys over the last two decades you can see that clearly. With the whole automotive world moving away from combustion engines even Bentley has to prepare for the shift.

Hence the Mulliner Batur, an ultra exclusive production of only 18 units, already sold out to Mulliner’s most loyal customers. Powered by the latest iteration of the W12 engine, which was actually introduced by VW in the concept car called W12 back in 1997. The engine then found its way to Audi A8, VW Touareg and the maddest Passat ever made by the company. Famous Spyker C12 was using the engine as well and of course it is a staple motor for the Bentley.

Now with twin turbochargers the engine pushes out more than 740 PS and offers more than 1,000 Nm of torque. These numbers are important because the Batur officially is a preview of a design for the next all-electric Bentley. And for it to be accepted by customers and to be desired by the rest of us, it will have to not only match those numbers but it will have to pulverize them.

The W12 engine is already slated for retirement and this is its last show. It is going out with the bang being hailed as the most advanced and most successful 12 cylinder engine in automotive history. Certainly it was reliable and delivered plenty of fun over the decades but Ferrari fans will disagree with the above statement.

Mulliner Batur is actually a successor of the Bacalar that was only produced in 12 units and was responsible for bringing coach building back to Bentley through its bespoke division, the Mulliner. All 18 BAturs will be built by hand to exact and individual specification set out by the customer. Admission price to this super exclusive club stands at $2 million and that’s just the base price without any taxes or options.

This is a completely new Bentley - gone are the round split headlights, gone are the signature tail lights as well. Although large as usual, the car appears to be quite shorter than current Continental, the front and rear overhangs are shorter and the roofline appears to be lower as well. Gone is the signature rear wheel arch replaced with a still pronounced but much smoother design.

The front is where real revolution happens, the new triple LED headlights are slim and are a clear (and bright) sign of changing times. The grille retains its overall shape but now is completely vertical with Bentley wings sitting atop while previously they were always on the bonnet.

The rear repeats the design - gone are the classic Bentley ovals replaced with triple LED lights. Retractable wing spoiler hides neatly into the body when not needed and Bentley wings sit proudly right in the middle. Batur name is spelled just beneath on the gloss black part of the rear bumper which makes the whole design lighter and slimmer.

The interior deserves its own article in all honesty. This being a Mulliner, the list of options goes on forever, there is a low-carbon leather from Scotland, there is an alternative suede-like sustainable material, there is a new, sustainable Natural Fiber composite that replaces carbon fiber. Even carpets are made from recycled yarn to chime in with the sustainable theme.

Mulliner Batur is a masterclass in restrained opulence and intricate details. The Dynamic Drive selector can be 3D printed in 18 karat gold and the unique sound wave of the W12 engine is laser etched into the dashboard. There are no large screens in sight, just the classic Bentley clock and three gauges above which can flip up and reveal the screen hiding behind.

We will see the first electric Bentley soon, the company is on track to be an all-electric car manufacturer by 2030. Mulliner Batur is a swan song for the W12 engine and for the Bentleys of old but it shows us the future as well. The first electric Bentley will look very much like it and judging by reception the Batur got from the public - Bently won’t have a problem selling Evs to its loyal customers.

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