Buoyed by the success of 2020’s Bacalar convertible, whose 12-car production run is almost complete, Bentley is now ready to show us its next bespoke project, which goes by the name Batur.
Bentley will unveil the Batur on Aug. 20 during 2022 Monterey Car Week, and has provided a taste with a teaser shot that reveals what appears to be part of the car’s grille.
The name comes from Bali’s Lake Batur (the Bacalar was named after a Mexican lagoon), and the basis for the car is thought to be Bentley’s Continental GT coupe. Power will likely come from the Continental GT’s top-of-the-line engine, a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W-12. Bentley plans to phase out the W-12 in the coming years, and the Batur will be a sort of celebration of the engine, Autocar reported last December. The British magazine also reported that 25 examples of the Batur are planned.
Bentley Continental GT Mulliner
The Batur will also serve as a bridge to Bentley’s electric future which starts with the reveal of the brand’s first electric vehicle in 2025. Bentley said the Batur will introduce a new design language for the brand, a design language also destined for future EVs.
Responsible for design is thought to be Andreas Mindt, who joined Bentley as its new design chief in early 2021. Mindt was also the designer of 1999’s stunning Bentley Hunaudières concept, so we could be in for a real treat. Production of the Batur will be handled by Bentley’s Mulliner in-house coachbuilder.
Stay tuned for the reveal in Monterey, California. Monterey Car Week this year runs Aug. 12-21. It culminates with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Aug. 21.