The Bentley Batur takes to the Hill at the 2023 Festival of Speed | GRR
How do you celebrate the 6.0-litre W12 that’s powered your cars for two decades? Build a limited-run farewell with the most powerful W12 you’ve ever created, that’s how. This is the Bentley Batur, and it has been slinging its way up the Hill at the 2023 Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard.
The Batur is Bentley’s farewell to the mighty W12 that made its debut in the Continental GT in 2002, and even came to the 2003 Festival of Speed as part of its launch. That original W12 had 560PS (412kW), so it’s correct to say the Batur’s 740PS (544kW) W12 has moved the game along. As well as the power, the Batur has 1,000Nm (740lb ft), enough to tear a hole in space and time and send the Batur to 62mph in less than 3.5 seconds.
Much as the Batur is about performance and that incredible engine, there’s more to this story. As you can see, the Batur isn’t just a Continental GT with a different name, it’s different in appearance both inside and out. It also carries the name Batur, after an 88m-deep lake in Bali to follow in the footsteps of the Bacalar which was launched a couple of years ago, also named after a lake.
The Batur isn’t quite as exclusive as the Bacalar, with 18 to be made rather than 12, but every single one comes with that beefed-up W12 and will be made to each customer’s exact specification. The organ stops that you push or pull towards you to open and close the air vents, for example, can be made from 3D printed 18k gold if you so like.
The price? A nice £1.65m plus tax, all of which have been reserved. To whoever gave permission for their car to head onto the Hil,l we thank you very much indeed.
Photography by Jordan Butters