Bentley Mulliner Bacalar: a modern Barchetta in the making

Laguna Bacalar in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula is a lake recognised for its breath-taking natural magnificence. Bentayga is a pure rock pinnacle on the island of Gran Canaria. What is the link in between them? Effectively, both equally are Bentleys. The latter is now preferred between us as an iconic luxury SUV while the Bacalar is still in the making. Bacalar Car or truck Zero is where by its historical past begins.

The Bacalar is the initially member of the Bentley Mulliner Coachbuilt portfolio, as Bentley Mulliner returns to coachbuilding. Bacalar Vehicle Zero is the goal-constructed engineering prototype is the initial barchetta-model Bentley of the modern-day period. Right before setting up the 12 pre-bought purchaser cars next 12 months, the prototype is remaining analyzed and developed at a variety of destinations all around Europe.

How is the screening coming up?

So far, the car or truck has accomplished wind tunnel-based aerodynamic evaluation, high pace security and prime velocity testing, managing and dynamics evaluations, appraisal of noise and vibration, and cautious thermal measurements. The auto now enters a time period of ongoing client-focused mileage accumulation and sturdiness operate, in advance of a section of weather cycle tests up to 80 °C and an intense electrical system validation. All of this get the job done is significant to indication-off the new and bespoke character of the Bacalar – the car consists of a total of much more than 750 new elements which includes much more than 40 crafted in carbon fibre, whilst virtually 100 are made employing swift additive manufacture procedures. All of them have to pass Bentley’s extremely stringent top quality, features and sturdiness benchmarks.

Bentley’s Director of Mulliner, Paul Williams, remarks: “The Bacalar is a extensively fashionable iteration of the coachbuilt Bentleys of the earlier – particularly unusual, fully hand-crafted, absolutely bespoke to each buyer and beautiful in its particulars. The full team guiding the auto is thrilled to see the prototype shrugging off just about every take a look at we toss at it, and we’re truly searching ahead to commencing the create of the 12 purchaser cars.” A roofless Barchetta style with all-new and extremely muscular coachwork, embracing a myriad of possibilities and products, each individual Bacalar will be genuinely distinctive, the end result of direct interaction between the Bentley Mulliner layout crew and the personal shopper. The Bacalar is the to start with – but other new bespoke Bentleys will comply with as part of the Bentley Mulliner Coachbuilt portfolio

Pretty unique supplies and a impressive core

The Bacalar draws on design DNA and materials inspiration from the beautifully sculpted, award-profitable EXP 100 GT which was crowned ‘Most Lovely Idea Car of the Year’ at the prestigious French Pageant Auto Worldwide. Materials incorporate paint that contains ash from rice husks, which provides a sustainable way of providing a rich metallic end, all-natural British wool and 5,000-12 months-previous Riverwood sourced from the historic Fenlands of East Anglia. The Bacalar shares no physique panel with any other motor vehicle in the Bentley design line-up, other than a single exterior component with a Continental GT – the door tackle, only because it has the keyless entry method.

The rear clamshell, wings and best deck of the Bacalar are crafted from carbon fibre, although the doorways are lightweight aluminium. Combined with the use of a few-dimensional printing, it has allowed designers to produce an even a lot more unique vehicle.

The Bacalar is pushed by an improved version of Bentley’s 6.-litre, W12 TSI motor that creates 659 PS (650 bhp) and 900 Nm (667 lb.ft) of torque. An state-of-the-art Lively All-Wheel-Push Technique differs the torque split involving entrance and rear wheels. The best velocity operate has confirmed the Vmax over 200 mph (322 km/h)

The new Bentley Mulliner Bacalar is a legitimate ‘roofless’ Barchetta – a luxurious, two-seat, open up-air general performance car, the likes of which have in no way been observed just before. Handcrafted to the personal customer’s private tastes, Bacalar is the supreme expression of an open up-best Grand Tourer: a spirited GT combining regular handcrafted tactics with the most current cutting-edge technologies.