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Bentley Mulliner Bacalar will be inspired by the EXP 100 GT

On March 3, 2020, at the Geneva Motor Show, Bentley and in-house customization shop Mulliner will unveil a new limited-edition vehicle that is billed as the "future of coachbuilding." Ahead of the debut, the official name has been announced: Bentley Mulliner Bacalar.  Thus far, there are few official details about the vehicle. Bentley says it will use ethically sourced and sustainable materials and will have a design inspired by the electric and autonomous EXP 100 GT concept that debuted in 2019. It is described as representing grand touring "at its most exhilarating," so it sounds like it'll be focused more on luxury rather than performance.  If a previous report is true, the Bacalar could be a two-seater with absolutely no roof. In the unconfirmed proposal, the supposed vehicle would be similar in looks to the EXP 100 GT, would be limited to roughly 12 examples, and would cost in the millions of dollars. Only time will tell how accurate this report proves to be, but considering other manufacturers such as McLaren, Aston Martin, and Ferrari have recently released similar windshieldless vehicles, we know the interest for this type of vehicle currently exists in high-end circles. It's anybody's guess as to what Bacalar references or means. Quick Google sleuthing shows nothing more than an extremely nice-looking vacation destination in Mexico. It's home to Lago Bacalar, or "The Lake of Seven Colors." Translated to Latin, bacalar is bacalao, which is salted and/or dried codfish eaten in Spanish and Latin American cultures. Maybe it will somehow tie into the sustainability aspect, but it's unclear. Expect small teasers and more information to drip before the full deluge in March. Related Video:

Bentley Mulliner Bacalar is so bespoke, it's a whole different car

Bentley talks a lot about “bespoke” — the customized elements done at the hands of its Mulliner division — but the newly unveiled Bentley Mulliner Bacalar takes the idea to a new level. This isnÂ’t just a unique paint color or a special upholstery fabric or a fabricated housing for an ownerÂ’s pet ferret. ItÂ’s a completely custom-bodied automobile, one that transforms the Continental GT convertible into a restyled two-seat roofless barchetta, which takes its name from a lake in MexicoÂ’s Yucatan Peninsula. Bentley claims that not a single exterior body panel from the Continental GT remains unchanged on the Bacalar, and the design is said to be inspired by last yearÂ’s EXP 100 GT concept. That show car was a coupe with scissor doors and an electric powertrain. The Bacalar is none of those things. But you can see some rub-off from the EXP 100 GT in the detailing, such as the horizontal lighting elements at the front and the rear. This example wears special Yellow Flame paint that incorporates the ash from burned rice husks as a more environmentally friendly way to create a metallic effect. In the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar, the doors and fenders are made from carbon fiber, while the clamshell covering over the rear compartment is aluminum. The body panels feature additional air intakes, a double hump behind the front seats, and more pronounced rear haunches over the 20-mm wider rear track. There is no roof — presumably owners will drive one of their dozens of other cars if rain is predicted. It would be a shame, after all, to let this interior get wet. The BacalarÂ’s cabin has just two seats, with a carved-out luggage hold behind each one that is specially designed to fit custom-matched bags made by Italian luggage maker Shedoni. The reworked center console angles up to meet the dash, which contains BentleyÂ’s Rotating Display and a digital instrument cluster that differs from that of production Bentleys. The seats are upholstered in British wool together with two types of leather, and the wool elements also appear on the console and door panels. The wood trim — in both matte and gloss finishes — is sourced from 5,000-year-old trees harvested from rivers, lakes and peat bogs. The 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W-12 engine is massaged to the tune of 650 horsepower and 667 lb-ft of torque (versus 626 ponies and 664 lb-ft in the Conti GT). The W-12 is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and rear-biased all-wheel drive.

2020 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid is less efficient on the highway than V8 version

Official EPA fuel-economy ratings are out for the 2020 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, the luxury brand’s first electrified offering, and they donÂ’t exactly bathe the crossover in a green light. As spotted by Green Car Reports, the plug-in performs worse on the highway than its V8-powered combustion sibling. The EPA rated the Bentayga Hybrid as delivering 18 miles in all-electric range, which is two miles more than Bentley previously touted, and a combined 19 miles per gallon in hybrid mode, which is indeed the most efficient of the three Bentayga versions offered. ItÂ’s rated at 17 mpg city and 21 on the highway. By contrast, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 version of the luxury crossover offers just 17 mpg combined, yet it delivers 23 mpg on the highway. Its overall EPA-rated highway range also beats the Hybrid, at 518 miles to 430 miles on a full charge and tank. The Bentayga Hybrid combines a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 and a 94 kilowatt electric motor that also functions as a generator. The system combines for 443 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, with a 5.2-second 0-60 mph time. It sends that through an eight-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels. Curb weight is a hefty 5,709 pounds. Base price starts at $160,000. The V8, by comparison makes 542 hp, nearly 100 more ponies, and 568 lb-ft, with a 0-60 mph of 4.4 seconds. It will set you back $171,025. At any rate, both versions are well below the 27 combined mpg of the average 2020 vehicle, according to the EPA. The HybridÂ’s fuel economy ratings suggest that buyers may be motivated less by concerns about carbon footprint than conveying the appearance of having those concerns. Bentley has said its first full electric vehicle will be a dedicated model that will arrive in 2025 at the earliest, and possibly with a solid-state battery pack. Related Video: