Bentley Batur now present process testing

The limited-edition Bentley Batur coupe is present process testing forward of a deliberate begin of deliveries in mid-2023.

Two improvement vehicles are present process greater than 120 particular person assessments, totaling 58 weeks of testing time between the 2 autos, Bentley mentioned in a press launch. These assessments will consider issues like high-speed stability, aerodynamics, cabin noise, sturdiness, and supplies high quality.

The primary improvement car—Automotive #0—kicked off the check program with a 1,553-mile drive throughout Europe, touring from Germany by way of Italy, France, and Spain. That will probably be adopted by seven weeks of sturdiness testing at Bentley’s proving grounds, then one other 4,660 miles of real-world driving.

Over 4 weeks, Automotive #0 can even bear 600 hours of direct solar publicity, equal to 5 years in an Arizona desert, in keeping with Bentley. The Batur options some new supplies, reminiscent of pure fibers as a extra sustainable substitute for carbon fiber, and this a part of the check program will give engineers a greater concept of how they maintain up over the long run.

Whereas it’s a improvement automotive and will not be delivered to a buyer, Automotive #0 is completed the identical because the manufacturing vehicles inside and outside—together with a bespoke paint shade referred to as Purple Sector. The one giveaways of its function as a check automotive are small white arrows affixed to the outside that enable engineers to trace any shifting of the physique panels.

For the Batur, Bentley’s acquainted twin-turbo 6.0-liter W-12 is tuned to supply 730 hp and 740 lb-ft of torque, which provides the Batur the very best output of any road-going Bentley. That added energy comes from a brand new air consumption, modified turbochargers, and revised intercoolers. The soundness management was additionally recalibrated. All of those adjustments had been validated with greater than 100 weeks of improvement time, in keeping with Bentley.

Unveiled in the course of the 2022 Monterey Automotive Week in August, the Batur serves as a bridge between Bentley’s inside combustion previous and electrical future. It is based mostly on the bones of the Bentley Continental GT Velocity, however its styling previews future electrical fashions, the primary of which is scheduled to launch in 2025.

Simply 18 Baturs will probably be constructed for purchasers, and each construct slot has already been crammed regardless of an estimated $1.95 million price ticket for every. The testing program could look like a variety of effort for such a small variety of vehicles, however it’s compulsory for any new car. Fellow Volkswagen Group model Bugatti, for instance, just lately accomplished the same improvement course of for its Centodieci hypercar, which is proscribed to only 10 models.