Just when you thought Bentley’s Mulliner division couldn’t get any more… bespoke, they’ve rolled the first customer Batur Convertible out of the Crewe factory, and it’s a masterpiece of glorious, passive-aggressive design. This isn’t just another drop-top grand tourer; it’s the most powerful W12-powered convertible in Bentley’s history, and it appears to have been designed specifically for the driver who really wants their passenger to know who’s in charge.
The Great Divide
Forget couples therapy, because Bentley has invented the ‘one plus one’ interior. The concept is as simple as it is brilliant: visually cleave the cabin in two. The driver is swaddled in a focused cockpit of business-like Beluga black hide and Alcantara, accented by a commanding band of Mandarin orange hide that wraps around them. The message is clear: “I’m here to tame 740 horsepower, please don’t distract me with your mundane conversation.”
Meanwhile, your passenger, the ‘plus one’ gets a completely different experience. They recline in a sea of light, airy Linen hide and Alcantara with Mandarin detailing. It’s luxurious, of course (this is a Bentley) but it’s a stark contrast to the driver’s dark, purposeful domain. It’s like one person is flying a fighter jet while the other is in the first-class lounge, just two feet away. This Jekyll and Hyde theme even extends to the luggage area, custom two-piece luggage set, seat belts, and the two bespoke key cases, ensuring there’s never any confusion about whose side is whose.
A W12 Swan Song Dripping in Detail
Beneath all this interior drama lies the real headline act: the last and most potent version of Bentley’s iconic 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine. With 740 bhp on tap, this is a truly epic send-off for an engine that has defined the brand for two decades.
Mulliner, the world’s oldest coachbuilder, has wrapped this powertrain in a body dripping with obsessive detail. The exterior of this first car is finished in a shimmering silver called Opalite, bisected by a gloss Beluga racing stripe with Mandarin pinstripes that runs the length of the car. Even the distinctive matrix grille and five-spoke alloys get the Beluga and Mandarin treatment. Inside, the meticulous details continue. You’ll find solid titanium gearshift paddles, organ stop air vents, and a subtle satin black engine spin finish on the fascia, with gloss Beluga veneer on the centre console. This isn’t a car; it’s automotive jewellery.
Get Your Chequebook Ready (And Then Sell Your House)
Bentley is only making a “strictly limited” number of these Batur Convertibles, each one co-created with its client via a special visualiser that lets them customise virtually any surface. While the press release politely omits the price, you can safely assume it requires a phone number-sized bank balance and a healthy asset portfolio.
If you want to see what all the fuss is about, the engineering development car, Batur Convertible Car Zero, will be on display at Monterey Car Week after a dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. For the rest of us, we can only dream. It’s a fittingly extravagant farewell to the W12 era before Bentley’s “Beyond100+” strategy pivots the company to an all-electric future by 2035. Frankly, it’s the perfect car for the discerning enthusiast who loves open-air motoring, biblical power, and subtly reminding their passenger that this is, and always will be, the driver’s car.
