Bentley has now presented the pre-production version of the Mulliner Bacalar, which will be used for durability testing and for validation. Subsequent to evaluating the car’s aerodynamics, noise, vibration, handling and top speed, the prototype of the coach-built model, which is also referred to as ‘Car Zero’, is already accumulating miles in Europe.
In the next leg of the journey, which will
conclude with the assembly of the 12 pre-sold customer cars next year, it will
be subjected to extreme weather testing in temperatures of up to 80C (176F),
while also having its electrical system validated. At the end of the 20-week
validation program, Bentley will have tested all components, including the new
750 parts exclusive to the Bacalar, 40 of which were made of carbon fiber, with
almost 100 produced using “rapid additive manufacturing techniques”.
Inspired by the 2019 EXP 100 GT Concept,
created by Mulliner and named after the Laguna Bacalar in Mexico’s Yucatan
peninsula, the eponymous car was presented back in March. It packs a twin-turbo
6.0-liter W12 engine, rated at 650 HP and 900 Nm of torque. The unit is connected to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic
transmission and an all-wheel drive system that splits thrust between the front
and rear axles – although for optimum efficiency and performance, the car uses
the rear-wheel drive as much as possible. Top speed stands at 322
km/h.
