Bentley is headed towards an electric future, and its signature W-12 engine will soon retire. Both to celebrate the W-12 and preview what its future electrified cars will look like, Bentley has created the Batur, a 730-hp.
Based on the Continental GT, the sleek bespoke coupe from Bentley’s Mulliner division will cost nearly $2 million and be produced in a limited edition of only 18.
This is Bentley’s second modern coach-built car, a follow-up to the open-top Bacalar that debuted last year. In Bentley’s early days, the automaker would supply the chassis that was sent to a separate coachbuilder of the buyer’s choice for bodywork. Bentley’s Mulliner division, which started out as a coachbuilder itself and now is the brand’s in-house customization arm, is responsible for hand-building the Batur.
While Bentley made 12 Bacalars, the Batur won’t be as exclusive. That’s because Bentley has upped production numbers by half a dozen for a total of 18 of these Bentley Batur coupes. Unfortunately for us peasants, every Batur is already spoken for. That means Bentley found 18 people willing to hand over $2 million before even seeing the car.
It might seem odd to be looking at a car powered by a 729-hp W-12 engine and thinking about EVs, but that is what Bentley is ordering us to do with the Batur, a limited-run coupe that has just been unveiled at Monterey Car Week. Because, while the Batur is still powered by sweet hydrocarbons, we’re told that it showcases the design direction the British luxury brand is planning to take as it develops its first full EV, which is due to arrive in 2025.
