New Bentley Mulliner Bacalar: A Car From the Future and Back to the Past.

With design DNA from the EXP 100 GT concept car and a fresh return to age old coachbuilding, this is the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar

• 12 examples only of the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar
• All allocations already sold
• All examples will be individually designed, and handcrafted to customers tastes
• Bacalar to be made in world’s first certified carbon neutral factory for luxury car production

Bentley Motors Design Director Stefan Sielaff proudly introduced the new Bentley Mulliner Bacalar via public live stream. Revealed as only the 2nd two seater Bentley since 1930.

The Name

So firstly let’s unpack the name Bentley Mulliner Bacalar because at first glance it sounds quite unusual. The Mulliner Bacalar is named after Laguna Bacalar in Mexico, renowned for its array of many shades of blue water and commonly said to be the Maldives of Mexico. The name choice also continues Bentley’s strategy of naming cars after remarkable landmarks which started with Bentayga in 2015.

At a second glance those familiar to the Bentley brand would not blink an eye seeing the word Mulliner in the title, except recently there has been a change at the Crewe quarters and Mulliner has been divided into 3 new divisions or arms. For more information on the story of Mulliner and an explanation of the new divisions click here. The Bentley Mulliner Bacalar is the first car to be produced by the Bentley Mulliner Coachbuilding division, paving the way forward in Bentley’s future bespoking strategy.

Bacalar’s Design

Speaking of the future, let’s look at Bacalar’s design DNA. Last year Bentley celebrated its 100^th year and to mark the occasion Bentley unveiled its concept for the future, it was the Bentley EXP 100 GT concept car. The EXP 100 GT was a hit and received ‘Most Beautiful Concept Car of the Year’ at the prestigious French Festival Automobile International and ‘Concept Car of the Year’ by GQ magazine.

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Sustainable, ethically-sourced materials previewed in the EXP 100 GT concept car last year have now become reality in the Bacalar – just eight months after first being previewed. These include paint containing ash from rice husks, which provides a sustainable way of delivering a rich metallic finish.

Among many other cues from Bentley’s concept car, the unique front and rear horizontal lights add the distinctive, dynamic character that was first seen on the EXP 100 GT.

The Bacalar shares no body panel with any other car in the Bentley model line-up and only shares one exterior component with a Continental GT – the door handle, simply because it contains the keyless entry system.

Design influences from the past also exist. Bentley has a rich history of open-cockpit cars – the design of the Birkin Blower Bentley of the late 1920s was also an inspiration. The dramatic, tapered cowls at the rear hark back to the Barchetta sports cars of old. The new Bentley Mulliner Bacalar is a genuine ‘roofless’ Barchetta – a luxury, two-seat, open-air performance car and Bentley’s ultimate expression of an open-top, luxury grand tourer.

The rear clamshell and top deck of the Bacalar are crafted from lightweight aluminium, while the doors and wings are carbon fibre. The exterior look of each model will be completed in collaboration with each individual customer, who are able to further personalize their car, choosing from rare paint options, exterior treatments and design themes. The Bacalar represents a return to the early years of Bentley, allowing owners to help shape the car of their dreams.

Inside the Bacalar

From the use of precious inlays and unique finishes, to the 148,199 individual stitches needed to embroider the Bacalar quilt on each seat, Bacalar’s interior is all about the uniqueness of the materials available and their origins. Bentley’s self-imposed mandate is to use ethically sourced and sustainable materials for its motor vehicles and there are plenty of options.

Inside the Bacalar, a focal point of the cabin is the wraparound dashboard cut from rare Riverwood, a sustainable wood from naturally fallen trees that has been preserved for 5,000 years in peat bogs, lakes and rivers found in the Fenlands of East Anglia, England. Lying untouched in wet earth has left the wood with a black aesthetic which Bentley found desirable for design purposes.

Bentley Mulliner has also collaborated with a traditional British textile mill to produce bespoke natural wool cloth especially for the Bacalar with customers also having the option to co-create their own bespoke fabric blend. The textile is used in the seat inserts, seat backs and the side of the head restraints. It also flows from the side of the centre console and lower instrument panel into the doors.

Natural yarns are used to create the overmats and are precision woven on traditional Wilton looms in England. These pure wool deep pile carpets are hand-carved for the foot well and rear luggage compartment, following the embroidered pattern found on the seats.

Bentley have partnered with another local supplier, based in the nearby Peak District, to offer Bacalar customers the rare opportunity to create individual artisan piping to enhance the dynamic styling lines of the seats. The piping can be designed and customized to feature unique patterns, colour combinations and personal embossed effects, such as a customer’s signature or special, individual customer motifs.

Looking towards the dashboard the Bacalar features the now famous Bentley Rotating Display and a unique clock face with individual one-of-12 badging. Customers will also see a new D-shaped steering wheel features Alcantara inserts

We could talk a lot more about the specifics of the first demonstration car’s interior, however every one of the 12 cars will be individually specified by each Bacalar customer.

The Heart of Bacalar

Powering Bacalar is Bentley’s renowned 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12 TSI engine producing 659 PS (650 bhp) which is paired to its technically-advanced drivetrain. The dual-clutch, eight-speed transmission is sure to offer fast efficient gear changes while the adaptive chassis uses Bentley’s intelligent, 48-volt Dynamic Ride System to ensure a responsive ride and exceptional handling and refinement in all conditions. This air suspension system controls ride comfort and lateral roll, cushioning passengers from excessive movement and with the ultimate aim to make the Bacalar feel effortlessly precise.

With the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar reigniting coachbuilding under the Mulliner name, which started coachbuilding in the 1760’s, it’s safe to say Bentley now stand as the oldest coachbuilders in the world, with the newest and most sustainable technology that’s ever been available at their fingertips.