RARE, BUT VERY WELL DONE

Bentley is riding the wave of its success with another ultra-exclusive Mulliner Coachbuilt model – the brawny but refined Batur. Matt Prior drives it

I suppose you're not paying just for the metal, carbonfibre or leather. It's the chance to have a look behind the door, access what others don't and, importantly, own something nobody else does.

All Bentleys try to offer a bit of that, which is why there are 46 billion 'curated by Mulliner' option combinations for a Continental GT alone, and why people spend on average £30,000 on those. You can double that amount for those who opt into the next-level 'Mulliner bespoke' line-up. This is one of the reasons why Bentley posted its biggest-ever profits last year, up 82% on just a 4% increase in vehicle sales. Do a bit more work, earn a lot more money. I'll try suggesting this at my next pay review and let you know how I get on. Bespoke by Prior.

For some, though, even these increasingly exclusive option combinations aren't enough. And this is where the highest echelon of Bentley's Mulliner division comes in the old-fashioned coachbuilding bit. A car made just for you (or for you and 17 others), with options just for you: enter the £1,980,000 Bentley Batur.

There are currently only two Baturs in existence, both of them working prototypes of a limited-edition Continental GT Speed-based coupé that signals the future of Bentley design, the end of the W12 engine and the pinnacle of the bespoke coachbuilding programme that Mulliner offers. It was launched with the Bacalar in 2021; the Batur is the follow-up.

Bentley says there are three things to note about the design: the 'resting beast mode' stance, like a lion sitting down, around the rear haunches; an 'expression of strength', or the upright grille, like a horse's chest; and an 'endless bonnet' (this all works better when you can see the PowerPoint), which is why you'll note the Batur's side-profile bonnet line smoothly extending to the rear window, to accentuate what's under the hood, to which we will come.