With Bentley’s new Batur Convertible, the marque continues its long tradition of crafting cars as beautiful as they are unique.
There’s nothing quite like cruising around with the top down. It’s a right of passage for many drivers, a chance to feel the wind flow through your hair and be one with the driving environment. Of course, there are convertibles and then there are convertibles. This beauty this the latter in all her hand-crafted oh-so-British glory.
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The Batur Convertible by Bentley, limited to just 16 units, furthers the innovative design DNA introduced by its coupe sibling, styling that will ultimately guide the design of the marque’s future cars. The Batur Convertible retains the most powerful version of Bentley’s iconic W12, with a 750 PS, hand-assembled 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine that has metaphorically and literally powered Bentley’s success for the last two decades. Sadly, the new Batur Convertible will also be one of the last ever Bentleys to use this incredible powertrain so enjoy it while you can.
For the W12 that the Batur Convertible shares with its coupe counterpart, a revised intake system, upgraded turbochargers, new intercoolers and extensive recalibration enables 750 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque, delivering exceptional performance from this neck-snapping grand tourer. The W12 is paired with Bentley’s eight-speed double-clutch transmission, and a sports exhaust to provide the suitably attention-trapping soundtrack some Bentley owners covet. The entire exhaust system of this topless wonder as well as its finishes are in 3D printed titanium.
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While we tend to think of Bentleys as smooth, luxuriously enclosed cocoons of comfort, the company actually has a rich history of open-cockpit cars, from the very first Bentley of 1919, through the company’s foundation years in the 1920s, to the most recent – the Bacalar. The architecture of the Batur Convertible has allowed the design of iconic coach builder Mulliner, part of Bentley, to seize the opportunity to create a theme that not only blends the design of the Bacalar and Batur, but that includes the usability of a convertible. The designers also chose to highlight the two-seater character with a ‘wraparound’ cockpit inspired by the design of the Bacalar.
The dramatic ‘airbridge’ behind the seats and tapered cowls at the rear hark back to the barchetta sports cars of old, whilst underlining the promise of a dynamic, driver-focused adventure in a cosseting, serene environment. The airbridge and tapered cowls are not only aesthetic, but also provide a semi enclosed luggage compartment behind the two seats.
The convertible roof delivers an aesthetic of beauty as a modern, tactile alternative to a hardtop roof. A combination of insulation material, sealing system refinements and acoustic treatments create a tranquil environment in a system that can be deployed or stowed in just 19 seconds, with the car travelling at speeds of up to 50 km/h, transforming the car from a luxurious coupe into an open-top Grand Tourer at the touch of a button.
In the cabin, the highly exclusive option of 3D printed rose gold – in collaboration with goldsmiths from the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham – includes key driver touch points, such as the Bentley Drive Mode Selector, encircling the start/stop button and used to change chassis modes. The centrepiece of of the cockpit, the dial complements the design of the front grille. Rose gold can also applied to Bentley’s iconic Organ Stop vent controls in the dashboard, as well as a rose gold insert marker on the steering wheel itself.
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Each Batur Convertible will be handcrafted over the course of several months in Mulliner’s workshop at Bentley’s carbon neutral factory in Crewe, England.
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