BENTLEY’S FAMED W-12 TURBOCHARGED ENGINE, THE BEATING HEART OF THE CREWE BASED LINEUP FOR THE LAST TWO DECADES, WILL OFFICIALLY BE LAID TO REST AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, BUT IT’S GOING OUT WITH A BANG IN THE HYPER LIMITED, DROP TOP BATUR BORN FOR RIVIERA ROMANCE

BY AMANDA McCO

In the final month of 2022, more than a century after Bentley shook the early stages of autodom with the debut of the genre-launching 3 Litre, the British super-marque announced the Batur: a rapacious yet refined, limited-edition hardtop designed and hand-crafted by Bentley’s Mulliner division. It was touted as the last coachbuild out of Crewe that would boast Bentley’s famed W-12 engine (like most manufacturers, Bentley is looking towards an electrified future), and with 740 horsepower, it would also be the fastest. But Bentley still had one final gift in its Santa sack before it closes up shop on petrol-hungry tourers, slicing the roof off the Batur in a stunningly beautiful drop-top limited to just 16 sweet examples.

Announced in May, the Batur Convertible is fed by the same 6.0L, turbo-charged W-12 that’s served as the beating heart of Bentley’s lineup for the last 20 years. Like its fixed roof brethren, the Batur Convertible receives a tweaked powerplant with a revised intake system, upgraded turbocharg ers, new intercoolers, and extensive recalibration to bring the engine’s total output to a best-in-show 740 ponies and 738 lb-ft. of torque. It’s paired with Bentley’s ultra-smooth, eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Production on the holy engine will officially conclude this summer, but first, the Batur Convertible will be stacked with a slate of super-luxe finishes, including a 3-D-printed, 18K rose gold coating on key driver touch points, sourced from goldsmiths in the historic Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham, England.

The car is cut into a two-door, two-seat configuration, with a large center console and rear airbridge (an ode to the Italian barchetta sports cars of yore) that doubles as a semi-enclosed luggage compartment. Everything, from the exterior paint and roof materials to the contrasting color on the front grille, can be hand-selected by the buyer, assuming she has a cool $1.2 million to burn.

SWITCH INTO SUMMER MODE with the touch of a button, as the Batur’s retractable roof can be deployed or stowed in just 19 seconds at cruising speeds of up to 30mph. Insulation materials, sealing system refinements, and acoustic treatments ensure a supreme, coupe-like ride at all times.

EVERY BATUR BUYER will work hand-in-hand with Mulliner’s in-house design team to custom craft their vehicle, with a vast selection of colors, materials, graphics, and textures to choose from. Even the airbridge, tonneau cover, and roof materials are customizable.

BENTLEY’S ENGINEERING CAR, dubbed the Batur Convertible #0, is blanketed in Vermillion Gloss over Vermillion Satin Duo paint, with a horizontal ombré grille and 22-inch wheels in Gloss and Satin Black Titanium.

THE 2003 CONTINENTAL GT was the first pair of Silver Wings to receive the modern W-12 powerplant. It’s underpinned more than 105,000 Crewe-built variants since its debut, gaining 40% more power and 25% better fuel efficiency over the last 20 years.

WHAT’S A ROAD TRIP WITHOUT MUSIC, after all?

The Batur droptop boasts a titanium- made sports exhaust system, which Bentley claims “provides a soundtrack in keeping with the level of performance.”

Bentley Paramus

331 Rte 4, Paramus / 855.638.1080 bentleyparamus.com