If you see a Bentley Bacalar on the road, make a wish: there are only 12 of them out there. This makes it one of the world’s most exclusive convertibles in production.
Not since the 1930s has there been a two-seater Bentley. So the Bacalar deserves our full attention. Unveiled by Mulliner, Bentley's customisation department, it is the rarest two-door Bentley of the modern era. Only 12 units of this (very) limited edition will be handcrafted at Bentley’s site in Crewe, tailored to the requests of each customer. Naturally, all 12 cars have already sold. With its barchetta outline and the muscular lines of its body, the Bacalar is unique and personal, the end product resulting from discussions between the Bentley Mulliner team and the (lucky) buyer. Bentley Motors chairman, Adrian Hallmark, said, “The Bacalar will be an extraordinary, collaborative experience for just 12 discerning customers, who will now each co-create, drive and treasure one of the cars being built”. It will also be a chance for Mulliner to return to its roots, which go back to the 16th century. Already at that time, the world’s oldest coachbuilder still active today was known for customising luxury horse-drawn carriages. So the Bacalar is the culmination of almost five centuries of expertise in the artful design of remarkable vehicles.
Rice husks and natural wool
Each car will draw on Bentley’s broad palette of colours and extensive range of materials. In line with today’s concerns, the Bacalar uses ethical, sustainable materials as much as possible, including recycled rice husks that give the paint a metallic finish, natural British wool and, for the dashboard, 5,000-year-old river wood from the East Anglian fenlands. As regards technical features (because we should still say a bit about that too), the bonnet covers a W12 6-litre engine with 650hp and dual-clutch transmission with eight gears and all-wheel drive.
But what #SoBARNES loves most about this car is its rear panel. Instead of just opting for a standard badge, the designers painstakingly looked for an original way to identify the model: the name ‘Bacalar’ appears behind the rice-husk gloss, featuring ‘A’s with outer legs that mirror the lower bumper’s lines. A tasteful touch.
Bentley.com
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