When production of Bentley’s W12 engine ends in April 2024, over 105,000 units of the iconic 12-cylinder engines will have been made in a 21-year period. The decision to end production has been made as part of Bentley’s acceleration towards a sustainable future through its Beyond100 strategy. This will see the company’s entire model line fully electrified by the start of the next decade
Once production of the W12 ceases next year, Bentley’s entire model line will be available with the option of a hybrid powertrain. In fact, even now, the journey of electrification has already begun with the Bentayga Hybrid and Flying Spur Hybrid.
The Bentley Batur coupe represents the end of one era, as well as the beginning of another. While giving a glimpse of the new design language for the British luxury brand, it also marks the end of the iconic W12 engine which has evolved to become the most powerful powertrain in its history.
The Batur, named after a beautiful lake in Bali, is the second bespoke project by Bentley Mulliner after the Bacalar and only 18 units will be produced, priced from £1.65 million each ex-factory. (about RM8.74 million). The 18 customers who have already reserved a unit will receive their cars within 11 months.
Final version of the mighty W12 Although riding on a similar chassis as the Continental GT, the Batur has a more powerful 6-litre twin-turbo W12 engine, producing 740+ ps and 1,000 Nm. This final version is the most powerful of the mightY W12 engines that first appeared in the Continental GT in 2002. Although its power output is risen nearly 40% in 20 years, fuel economy has improved by 25%.
For the Batur’s W12 engine, a new intake system, upgraded turbochargers, new intercoolers and extensive recalibration was done to deliver exceptional. It is paired with Bentley’s 8-speed double-clutch transmission, and a sports exhaust to provide a soundtrack in keeping with the level of performance. The entire exhaust system is in titanium, while the finishers are 3D-printed in titanium in a first for Bentley.
As well as being the most power and most exclusive Bentley coupe to date, the Batur will also be the most dynamic with Speed-tuned air suspension, it is claimed. Adaptive 3-chamber air springs each have 3 switchable chambers, changing the volume of the air spring and varying effective stiffness. The driver can select the balance between ride comfort and body control using the 4-mode Drive Dynamics, choosing between Sport, Bentley, Comfort and Custom.
The Drive Dynamics Control also changes the behaviour of the 48V electric active anti-roll control system, which can provide up to 1,300 Nm of anti-roll torque in just 3/10ths of a second or completely decouple the wheels at either end of each axle. The anti-roll control system can also be used to adjust the roll stiffness front-to-rear, giving the Batur sharper turn-in and greater ability to balance the car on the throttle when in Sport mode.
Overall traction and cornering grip is maximised through the use of an electronic Limited Slip Differential that actively vectors drive torque across the chassis. This is complemented by torque vectoring by brake, whereby the car can lightly brake the inside rear wheel on turn-in for greater front-axle response, and also lightly brake both inside wheels on corner exit to move power across to the outside, loaded wheels for better traction.
New chapter in Bentley design The Bentley design DNA that has driven the creation of the Continental GT, Flying Spur and Bentayga families has been revolutionised for the Batur, introducing new themes, approaches and details. The new form language defines a new chapter for Bentley design, as part of Bentley’s Beyond100 transformational journey.
“For any design team, the chance to redefine our own rules is the most exciting challenge. We have reimagined the Bentley design language, keeping some continuity to the past and present while also drastically changing key elements,” said Bentley’s Director of Design, Andreas Mindt.
“A mark of power and prestige has always been a long bonnet. Our new design cues include a line that stretches from the bonnet along the whole length of the car, connecting the bonnet into the body, making the car long and lean and giving an elongated proportion to the front end. We call this feature the ‘endless bonnet’, and it’s the only accent highlight to the cleaner shape,” he said.
“At the very front of the car, we’ve modernised the famous Bentley grille and made it lower and more upright, to give a stronger face and a more dominant stance. This upright elegance brings self-confidence with a luxury stance. The grille is flanked by a new headlight shape and design, an evolution of the design used on Bacalar and maintaining the single large headlight either side. These are matched with all-new tail-lamps at the rear, that sit either side of a deployable spoiler,” explained Mindt.
Meanwhile, the visual mass of the car is moved rearwards, giving the impression that the car is sat on the rear axle, which adds further depth to the haunches. Overall, the form is cleaner and simplified, relying more on curvaceous surfaces bisected in the right places to reflect light and dark and bring more muscle to the design.
Ultimate personalisation The interior space of the Batur for two persons is designed for ultimate personalisation and long-distance grand touring. Inspired by the interior design of the Bacalar, the Batur builds on the core elements of the Bacalar’s cabin design and adds new sustainable luxury features.
Every element of the cabin is tailored to the customer’s specifications. Each car will be unique, designed collaboratively with the customer with guidance from Mulliner’s in-house design team. Customers will be able to specify the colour and finish of practically every surface of the Batur, to create a car as individual as they are.
There’s variety of sustainable interior materials to choose from, while the passenger fascia panel is finished with a unique etching of the audio signature of the W12 engine (but bespoke etching is also available). Bright or dark treatments to the interior brightware and titanium options are also available. Certain controls – like the organ stops for ventilation – can be in 3D-printed 18K gold, if desired.
“With Bacalar, we proved the appetite of our clients for truly bespoke and individual Bentleys. We’re building on that story with the Batur, and the fact that all 18 cars are already reserved is testament to the fact that our design team is creating cars that our clients want to buy. Batur is not only a beautiful handcrafted Bentley – it is the next member of a distinguished line of cars coachbuilt by Mulliner, which include the W.O. Bentley’s favourite car in the 8 Litre and the now truly-iconic R-Type Continental,” said Paul Williams Director of Bentley Mulliner.
What if the Batur became a convertible? Here’s what our friend Theottle, the master at reimagining car designs, has come up with today.
Bentley has placed a new version of its Continental GT Mulliner at the very top of the range and this is the ultimate version. It is the most powerful, fastest, most dynamic and most luxurious Continental GT yet created by the carmaker.
The new GT Mulliner W12 takes the best of all worlds to become the ultimate Continental GT. It combines the performance and dynamism of the Speed, the comfort of the recently-announced Azure, and the flair of Mulliner handcraftsmanship.
The W12 TFSI engine, handcrafted at Bentley’s carbon neutral factory in England, delivers 659 ps/900 Nm to take the grand tourer to a claimed top speed of 335 km/h after passing 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds from take-off. The new engine is an uprated version of Bentley’s 6-litre W12 TSI engine with a 4% increase in power over the standard W12 model.
A combination of four chassis technologies give the new Mulliner model a level of agility, performance and ride quality that has been stretched to new levels. Bentley Dynamic Ride and three-chamber active air suspension with adaptive damping play a key role in the balance of the car. The optional and newly-developed Carbon Ceramic Brakes, Variable Electronic Stability Control, All Wheel Steering, and an Electronic Limited Slip Differential bolster the agility and performance even further.
Combining the new systems delivers Bentley’s philosophy that a vehicle should feel progressive and secure, yet still be dynamic. To achieve this philosophy in BENTLEY and COMFORT mode, overall grip is balanced between the front and rear wheels while, in SPORT, this mode has been calibrated with a more rear-biased torque–split in all driving scenarios.
Bentley’s 3-chamber active air suspension with adaptive damping, and Bentley Dynamic Ride provide control and comfort. The 48V active anti-roll control system was originally pioneered on the Bentayga and third-generation Continental GT, and is now tuned even further with the knowledge and learning since the systems introduction.
This innovative system features powerful electric motors within each anti-roll bar to resist body roll. In their firmest setting, the motors can deliver 1,300 Nm in 0.3 seconds to counteract cornering forces and keep the body level.
The Electronic All-Wheel Steering enhances the dynamic nature of the Continental GT Mulliner W12 in each of the driving modes. This is even more apparent in SPORT mode, as the steering combines with Bentley Dynamic Ride and the electronic limited slip differential for a level of agility unlike any other Bentley road car, utilising up to 4° of steering lock on the rear wheels.
The eLSD allows true active torque vectoring across the rear axle, which is then fine-tuned with torque-vectoring by brake systems. Together, these technologies improve turn-in and provide exception traction on corner exit – and, of course, allow the keen driver to induce slip angles and to balance the car on the throttle.
The cabin is one defined by luxury and showcases a level of choice and customisation that Mulliner is well known for. A unique colour split is exclusive to the car, with a new combination of primary and secondary hide joined by a third colour through a flowing design line. Eight different 3-colour combinations are proposed by Mulliner, using Bentley’s palette of hides and threads to create striking yet elegant contrast throughout the cabin.
“Diamond in Diamond” quilting to the seats, door trims and rear quarter panels is made up of almost 400,000 stitches with each diamond containing exactly 712 individual stitches. Naturally these are available in a spectrum of coloured threads, too.
For the driver, the brushed-metal finish of the Breitling clock is carried through from the physical world to the digital, with a unique design to the main gauges of the LED main instruments cluster where careful skeuomorphic design and the application of digital textures makes the virtual dials look like real metal.
The GT family now spans a range of models each with a different emphasis, to make customer choice easier. The Azure range is for those prioritising wellbeing and on-board comfort, while those customers wishing to concentrate on driving pleasure can specify the new V8-powered GT S. Going one step further, the W12-powered Speed is the pure driver’s car. And above all these sits the Mulliner.
Bentley’s first SUV, the Bentayga, arrived in the market in late 2015 and since then, it has become the brand bestselling model. Now the range gets an additional variant in the form of the new Bentayga Speed which takes its place as the flagship. It combines the W12 powertrain and many of the models’ luxurious features as standard, including the Mulliner Driving Specification.
Building on a long tradition of Speed models that began with the Continental GT in 2007, the new Bentayga Speed maintains the performance credentials proved by its predecessor, which claimed the production SUV record at the gruelling Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2018.
The new Bentayga Speed builds on the completely refreshed design of the latest version of the SUV, adopting the same Bentley design DNA now prevalent across the entire model range. Introducing the very latest onboard technology and an even more cosseting cabin, the new model is significantly revised both inside and out.
“The new Bentayga has already raised the benchmark for luxury SUVs, against which all others are measured. Ahead of the launch of the new Bentayga Hybrid in the coming months, it’s important that we still recognise the customer desire for absolute performance. The new Bentayga Speed remains the fastest SUV in the world but, more than that, it’s also the most luxurious version of the new Bentayga – the best of both worlds, the pinnacle,” declared Bentley’s Chairman & CEO, Adrian Hallmark.
Performance and agility
The Bentayga Speed elevates already high performance levels, exploiting the 6-litre W12 twin-turbocharged engine that delivers peak power of 635 ps/900 Nm. The maximum speed is raised to 306 km/h, while the 0 – 100 km/h sprint can be completed in a claimed 3.9 seconds.
Efficiency is also an important aspect of such a powerful engine, which takes the skilled engine builders approximately 10% of the total hours required for the manufacture of the Bentayga Speed. To achieve effective cylinder deactivation with the complex layout of the W12, the engine control unit deactivates one complete bank of 6 cylinders as required.
Switching between A and B Bank using information from the inlet and exhaust sensors, minimises cylinder and catalytic convertor cool down and avoids spikes in exhaust emissions. This not only benefits carbon dioxide emissions but realises significant economy gains under part-throttle cruising conditions.
In 5th to 8th gears, when the driver releases the throttle (at motorway cruising speed, for example) the car will open the torque converter, dropping the engine to idle and simply allowing the car to roll or ‘sail’. When the throttle is re-applied, or the car starts going downhill and detects an increase in speed, the transmission is re-engaged.
To use this power appropriately, the Bentayga Speed is equipped with four on-road Drive Dynamics modes: Comfort at one extreme; Sport at the other and with Bentley mode – the balanced recommendation of Bentley’s chassis team in Crewe – along with a Custom mode for customers who opt to create their own driving set-up.
Uniquely for the Speed, the Sport mode has been recalibrated to enhance response from the W12 engine and the 8-speed automatic transmission, together with the air suspension system and Bentley Dynamic Ride.
Bentley Dynamic Ride is the world’s first electric active roll control technology that utilises a 48V system. This system instantly counteracts lateral rolling forces when cornering and ensures maximum tyre contact to deliver superior cabin stability, ride comfort and exceptional handling. Recalibration of Bentley’s Torque Vectoring by Brake system – whereby the car lightly brakes the inside rear wheel at corner entry to sharpen the front axle turn-in – has made Bentayga Speed even more responsive to drive.
The Speed’s optional carbon ceramic brakes are the largest and most powerful brakes available from Bentley, with a maximum braking torque of 6,000 Nm and engineered to withstand temperatures up to 1,000 °C. They also provide a weight savings of more than 20 kgs over iron brakes.
Purposeful looks
To match the elevated levels of performance, the Bentayga Speed sports a purposeful exterior look. Dark-tint headlights, body-coloured sideskirts, unique front and rear bumpers together with dark-tint radiator and bumpers grilles, and a striking, elongated tailgate spoiler characterise the performance credentials.
A unique 22-inch wheel design is available in two finishes (painted and dark tint) and Speed signature badging to add to the sporting design cues. At the rear, the exhaust finishers are now the oval design that signifies a W12 powertrain.
17 standard paint colours are supplemented by a further 47 hues in the Extended and Mulliner ranges, with an additional 24 duo-tone options. That’s 88 options but if a customer cannot find exactly what he or she wants, the paintwork colour can be matched to any sample provided. The range is complemented by a palette of 15 hide colours, 6 colour splits and 8 veneers and 2 technical finishes.
Balance of luxury and performance inside
Inside, the Bentayga Speed introduces a dramatic design theme that balances luxury and performance. The unique Speed colour split is achieved through the use of dark colours enhanced by primary hide accents running throughout the seats and interior trim. Elegantly crafted ‘swooshes’ of contrast leather swipe around the doors, along the edges of the seat cushions and backrest bolsters, and on the lower console.
‘Speed’ seat embroidery on the backrest of all of the seats is included as standard and, as a no-cost option, customers can choose to replace the ‘Speed’ embroidery with that of the Bentley logo. A new contrast stitching design through the diamond quilting of the Mulliner Driving Specification (included as standard) is unique to the Speed, with each of the stitch lines running through the quilting being split.
Sector-leading infotainment
Setting new standards in the sector for customer technology interfaces, the Bentayga flagship introduces a new, cutting-edge infotainment system. A bigger and brighter, high-resolution 10.9-inch touchscreen, with an anti-reflection and anti-glare coating and much improved touch functionality, now spans the entire width of the centre fascia.
The advanced navigation system features free-text, context-specific search entry, including an address or point of interest. Navigation is improved with a 3-dimensional building display, satellite maps, content in the driver’s next generation Head-Up Display and several other useful features. The Head-Up Display can now project traffic information, street names and distance to destination too.
The fully digital driver’s information panel is similar to the one found in the Continental GT and new Flying Spur. The display brings a contemporary look to the cockpit, can be customised to the driver’s requirements and features real-time lighting effects with elegant animations. The high-resolution screen can be viewed in either Classic (traditional two-dial design of speedometer and tachometer) or Expanded format that has the right dial replaced with an area for maps and media information.
