Editor’s Note
This article explores how the luxury sector is moving beyond mere experimentation to achieve meaningful integration of additive manufacturing. By thoughtfully combining 3D printing with traditional craftsmanship, leading brands are now producing robust, end-use components, signaling a mature and lasting adoption of the technology.
It is fascinating to see how certain sectors have embraced additive manufacturing and are intelligently leveraging this technology alongside traditional techniques. This is the case in the luxury world, where the thoughtful, “step-by-step” integration of 3D printing has led to robust adoption that has finally moved beyond the prototyping stage. From jewelry to luxury cars, it is a joy to see more and more end-use parts, both mechanical and decorative, being 3D printed.
Following Bugatti, Ferrari, Pagani, McLaren, and Cadillac, additive manufacturing has found a new, choice ambassador in Bentley Motors. The brand with the winged logo has reached a new milestone in the use of metal additive manufacturing.
Presented as “the most refined Batur Cabriolet to date,” the latest Bentley Batur is distinguished by the integration of several 3D-printed platinum elements. After using other precious metals, such as gold and rose gold in 3D printing on previous Batur models, this marks the British manufacturer’s first use of this metal.
Very rarely used in 3D printing, platinum was employed to manufacture the top dead center marker on the steering wheel and each of the organ stop controls, highlighting the exclusivity and innovation of this unique model. While Bentley does not specify which additive process was used, given the nature of the parts, there is no doubt that a laser powder bed fusion technology was employed.
For its “Black Rose” released in 2025, a unique version of its Batur luxury coupe, Bentley did not hesitate to integrate several parts printed from another precious metal: 18-carat rose gold.
To meet its customer’s demand, the manufacturer collaborated with the prestigious British goldsmiths Cooksongold, a UK company specializing in supplying precious metals and tools for jewelry making. Among these elements were notably a drive mode selector, ventilation controls, and an inlay on the steering wheel.
At Bentley, additive manufacturing operations are carried out within its Engineering Technical Centre located at its Crewe headquarters. In 25 years, a total of 125,000 parts have been 3D printed in this factory equipped with 13 machines and six cutting-edge technologies.
Its use of additive manufacturing is not limited to decorative parts. Upon further research, I discovered that the Bentley team had also 3D printed a W12 engine block scaled to only 5 mm thick, preserving every detail of the engine thanks to Lithography-based Metal Manufacturing (LMM) technology, an innovative approach to metal 3D printing offering unparalleled precision.