Bentley took the limited-edition Bacalar from a sketch to a 200-plus-mph roadster in 9 months, an incredibly quick period of time. Its engineers are actually placing the primary automobile by way of its paces on the similar break-neck velocity.
Though the Bacalar relies on the Continental GT, the British agency defined practically every part the driving force will see and really feel is particular to the automobile. Bentley developed over 750 new elements for it, together with 40 constructed with carbon fiber, and the roadster shares no physique panels with different members of the corporate’s vary. All of those elements have to fulfill the identical stringent high quality requirements as these created for regular-production fashions.
Bentley gave its group 20 weeks to fine-tune the primary prototype (pictured), which it calls automobile zero. Testing began earlier in 2020, so the automobile has already been put by way of a wind tunnel and pushed to the restrict at triple-digit speeds — it is as steady and quiet as clients anticipate. Subsequent, take a look at drivers will pile on the miles to see the way it holds up over time. They’re going to then take a look at it at as much as 176 levels, and the ultimate step shall be validating {the electrical} system.
Energy for the Bacalar comes from a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 engine, which produces 650 horsepower and 667 pound-feet of torque. It spins the 4 wheels by way of an eight-speed automated transmission.
Bentley hasn’t revealed what it is going to do with automobile zero on the finish of the testing part. Manufacturing is scheduled to start out in 2021, and the 12 examples deliberate have already been spoken for. Every one shall be distinctive; consumers shall be invited to work instantly with the corporate’s design division to configure the inside and the outside.
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