Bentley Batur Convertible Development Enters Final Phase

Bentley announced Tuesday that development work on the limited edition Batur Convertible has reached the final stages.

The Batur was initially announced as a coupe in 2022 as a send-off for Bentley's venerable W-12 engine, which went out of production in July. Bentley followed this with the Batur Convertible in May. Sixteen convertibles were produced, two fewer than the coupe.

Despite the small production run, the development program for the Batur Convertible was almost as extensive as that for Bentley's regular production models. This program included 120 individual tests over the course of a year, including long-distance drives from Germany to Spain and high-speed runs at the Idiada test site near Barcelona, Spain.

Two prototypes were built for the development program, and every detail was examined, from the quality of the controls with gold accents on the dashboard to the unique engine control software for the familiar 6.0-liter twin-turbo W-12 engine. Named after Lake Batur in Bali, Batur produces 740 hp, the highest rating for a W-12. This output in the coupe is capable of accelerating from 0-62 mph in 3.4 seconds and reaching a top speed of 209 mph, and the convertible should not be too far off that pace.

The prototype recently completed a drive from Germany to Spain and is now at a testing facility in Idiada. There, the prototype will undergo seven weeks of endurance testing on a variety of handling tracks, mixed surfaces, high speeds, and difficult terrain. Much of the testing will focus on the performance of the convertible roof. The roof can be deployed and retracted in just 19 seconds and can travel at 30 mph.

The Batur and Batur Convertible are among the last Bentleys to use the W-12 engine. Bentley has not revealed what the final car will look like. However, Bentley has already announced a successor to the W-12, a V-8 plug-in hybrid powertrain that debuted in June in the updated Continental GT Speed and later in the updated Flying Spur Speed. These models produce 771 hp, but lower-powered versions will eventually make their way to other models in Bentley's lineup.

Bentley also plans to enter the electric vehicle market, but at a slower pace than originally planned. Bentley's first EV is expected in late 2026.