Bentley Batur development completed.

Bentley announced Tuesday that development work on the limited edition Batur coupe has been completed, paving the way for production of a customer car later this year.

Only 18 customer models will be built, but the Batur is undergoing an exhaustive development process with two test cars, dubbed Car Zero and Car Zero Zero. The testing program, which began in late 2022, includes a European tour of approximately 1,500 miles and high-speed tests up to 200 mph, and more than 600 hours of solar loading, the equivalent of five years in the Arizona desert.

Unveiled at the 2022 Monterey Car Week, the Batur follows the Bacalar convertible in Bentley's lineup of coachbuilt special projects and bridges Bentley's combustion engine past with the electric vehicles of the future. Although based on the Bentley Continental GT Speed, its styling foreshadows future electric models slated for launch in 2025.

Because it is based on the Continental GT Speed, Batur uses Bentley's familiar twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W-12, tuned to produce 730 hp and 740 lb-ft of torque, which is the highest output and the most torque ever produced by a Bentley, making it the most powerful road-going Bentley ever. The added power comes from new air intakes, a revised turbocharger, and an improved intercooler. weeks of development time to test these improvements and the new calibration of the transmission and stability control.

Bentley also sought to revamp the traditional handcrafted approach by using sustainable materials such as natural fibers and 3D-printed gold interior trim. grams of 18-karat gold were used for the drive mode selector, vent controls, and steering wheel inserts. These parts were also thoroughly tested for everything from heat load to sunscreen resistance.

All 18 Batur production cars are reserved. Bentley expects each car to take approximately four months to complete, with the last car expected to be completed by the end of 2024.