British marque introduces revolutionary AI-powered Hide Inspection programme
Pioneering new process elevates craftsmanship and sustainability at the brand’s Dream Factory in Crewe – a key ambition of Bentley’s Beyond100+ strategy
Automated AI and camera technology detect hide imperfections invisible to the naked eye
Sustainability of Bentley’s luxury leather trim enhanced by reduced waste, cost and optimised hide usage – a reduction of 135.7 kg CO₂ emissions per car
[source: Bentley]
Crewe, England – Bentley Motors today revealed ground-breaking AI technology that will enhance the craftsmanship, sustainability and innovation of the brand’s iconic car interiors, a fundamental part of Bentley’s Beyond100+ strategy. The AI-powered Hide Inspection system will revolutionise the way leather is assessed and selected for use, reducing waste and cost while detecting tiny imperfections otherwise unseen by the naked eye.
This pioneering innovation further supports Bentley’s ambition to be the future benchmark of luxury car manufacturing with ultra-flexible, hyper personalised facilities that combine craftsmanship and digital manufacturing concepts.
Around nine hides are required for a luxury Bentayga SUV interior alone but as a natural product, all leather is prone to imperfections. That includes insect bites, holes and scars that ultimately affect overall trim quality. Bentley’s innovative new process uses advanced camera technology and artificial intelligence to ensure every cut of leather selected is of the very highest standard.
The state-of-the-art technique – the first time it has been adopted in the Volkswagen Group – saves the painstaking process of inspecting and monitoring each hide by hand from Bentley’s highly-skilled colleagues.
However, AI-Powered Hide Inspection does not entirely replace the skills of Bentley’s highly-trained craftspeople. By automating the manual inspection process, the system provides the highest quality hide, which craftspeople can then use to deliver intricate hand-sewn detailing – the finishing that makes a Bentley cabin truly unique.
The new Hide Inspection system also allows for faster processing, as multiple hides can be inspected at once. The programme works alongside existing cutting processes to optimise leather use for over 200 trim parts per car. At the same time, the resulting reduced waste and CO₂ emissions, a reduction of 135.7 kg CO₂ emissions per car, further support Bentley’s industry-leading Beyond100+ strategy.
Andreas Lehe, Member of the Board for Manufacturing at Bentley Motors, said:
“Our car interiors are crafted from the finest natural leather. The investment in this pioneering new technology further enhances the sustainability of Bentley’s luxurious cabins, reducing waste and optimising leather usage. Hide Inspection also showcases how cutting-edge innovation and Bentley’s traditional craftsmanship techniques can co-exist side-by-side.
“Hide Inspection is just one of many industry-first innovations at our Dream Factory in Crewe, where all Bentley models are built. Our Beyond100+ strategy will see the company reinvent its entire product range to support a more sustainable, electrified future. That includes Bentley’s new digital, zero environmental impact manufacturing and quality facility, as well as the development of our first BEV (battery electric vehicle), one that will set the benchmark for the luxury cars of the future.”
What: 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet Color: Paint to Sample Linen Grey Metallic (leinenmetallic; metallic UNI; 55; Porsche) VIN: WP0CB29918S777288 Mileage: 65,920 miles Price: $55,950 CarFax:Link Window Sticker: Pictured Below Location: Bellevue, WA Listing:Park Place Limited
Perhaps in current times a C4S cab with a $126k sticker price wouldn’t be a shock (they now start at $159k), but back in 2008 it was nearly unheard of. Yet here we find ourselves, featuring this Linen-on-Linen sporting both Paint and Leather to Sample from the factory. Due to the beauty of depreciation and a minor on the CarFax from 2018, this frankly impressive build can be had for less than half the cost it was new- before inflation. We’d be remiss if we didn’t admit this spec isn’t one that would normally get such a big reaction in our offices, but the level of taste displayed is tough to match. The subtlety of its paint matched center console that ever-so-slightly contrasts the miles of Linen leather is just spectacular, as is the choice of Carbon accents over a more theme-appropriate wood grain. Our only edit would be to toss the aftermarket for a Porsche Classic unit.
We’re big fans of the road less traveled here, that’s not exactly a secret. This Tailored Driver is exactly that- finished in Porsche’s Midnight Blue Metallic (rare), with 1992’s 911 C2 Cab Rest-of-World only Turbo Look body optioned (more rare) Leather to Sample in an unknown light blue (incredibly rare). Per the listing this Tailored Driver is one of just 1,532 C2s optioned with the factory widebody, and has spent the entirety of it’s life in Germany. Being a 1992 model year example, importation to the US should be a breeze using a reputable vendor like Orchid Euro.
It’s early 1984 in West Germany, and after a banner 1983 at the firm, your pockets are lined with Deutsche Marks. So you do the most logical thing possible, and spec out your very own brand new 911. But your colleagues all have them too, so yours must be different. You glance out the window at your wife’s 300TD wagon and think to yourself- yep, that’ll set me apart. It’ll be Mercedes Midnight Blue metallic, ordered via Porsche’s Paint to Sample program, and for a further punch to your coworkers’ gut, you’ll pair it with leather to sample in Grey. Frankie Goes to Hollywood comes on the radio. Life is good.
Fast forward to today, this Paint to Sample Midnight Blue Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe (VIN: WP0ZZZ91ZES101928) has aged pretty well- far better than the hits that once rattled its speakers. Modern touches are fairly limited here, with a Continental single-din radio with Bluetooth capability being the most obvious, and that’s just the way we’d want it.
This Paint to Sample Midnight Blue Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe is currently offered for sale by Bring a Trailer power seller 911r at an at-time-of-writing bid of $19,911 with 6 days remaining. We’d bet it’ll finish somewhere quite a bit north of that.
See the full auction for this Tailored Driver, here.
Porsche has released details on a Taycan Turbo S one-off for Southeast Asian markets that has some pretty unique flair. It also reveals new capabilities for their Paint to Sample program, and confirms Leather to Sample and beyond that a significantly expanded Sonderwunsch program for Taycan models.
Inspiration for the car comes from Jade, and the paint shows off a first-ever pairing of Chromaflair paint and a gradient shift. The gradient shift is sort of like Cannondale mountain bike frames in the 1990s that shifted one color to another front to back. Here though, it’s at a much higher level of time and skill invested.
For starters, both colors are Chromaflair, meaning thin flakes that shift in color. The two paints in question are the green/gold hue of Urban Bamboo and dark grey/blue hue of Shifting Carbon. Applying it with that shift is about 80 hours of work.
Inside, the cabin is also extensively reworked, with Englishgreen and Slate Grey leather, not to mention a few other touches and unique logo icon to set the Celestial Jade apart.
See the full detail in the press release below, with gallery of photos below that.
PRESS RELEASE: Inspired by the precious gemstone jade: Taycan Turbo S Celestial Jade
World premiere in Singapore at regional Taycan launch
Unique look: first-ever Chromaflair paintwork with colour gradient
Elegance: varnished carbon-weave elements and “Leather to Sample”
Unique logo created to pay homage to vibrant Southeast Asian region
Stuttgart/Singapur. Fascinating metamorphosis: In the depths of the Earth, a miraculous transformation takes place that produces the precious gemstone of jade. Over thousands of years, minerals in the Earth’s crust heat up and are subjected to great pressure before they crystallise and fuse together. Minor changes in temperature or pressure leave their mark on the rock, creating patterns of green, yellow, gold, white, and sometimes blue. This unique journey from their mineral origins to master artisans, from multi-faceted natural stone to jewellery, is the foundation of the timeless appeal of jade.
Inspired by this precious gemstone, the Taycan Turbo S Celestial Jade, an extraordinary one-off, was created through the Sonderwunsch programme. Together with the Porsche Asia Pacific team, the designers and paint experts at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur sought to reflect the vibrance and innovation of the Southeast Asia in their own craftsmanship, paying tribute to this important region with bespoke touches and mythical symbols.
The Taycan Turbo S Celestial Jade will celebrate its world premiere at a spectacular Taycan regional launch event on 5 September in Singapore. From there, the one-off model will go on display in various locations in Southeast Asia before being auctioned off for a good cause in 2025.
This Sonderwunsch production is based on the extensively upgraded Taycan of model year 2024. The new versions have more power, more range, accelerate quicker and charge faster with greater stability. The Turbo S has up to 700 kW (952 PS) peak power¹ with Launch Control and sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.4 seconds, making it 0.4 seconds faster than its predecessor.
World premiere: elaborate Chromaflair paintwork with colour gradient For the first time ever, in the Taycan Turbo S Celestial Jade, Porsche has blended two Chromaflair effect paints. The preparation and implementation phases for this were both very elaborate, with development taking around a year. The paintwork itself was done exclusively by hand and took around 80 work hours.
Chromaflair pigments contain extremely thin “flakes” that appear to shift in colour depending on how you look at them. These flakes consist of an opaque, reflective core layer of aluminium, which is then surrounded by a glass-like layer. This transparent layer looks different colours depending on the thickness. All together the flakes are only 1 µm thick. By comparison, human hair is 50 times thicker than this. This gradient paint isn’t just found on the body of the Sonderwunsch Taycan: the rear model designation, the “Electric” logo on the side and the key fob cover also have this impressive finish.
“Urban Bamboo”, a bright green with yellow and gold tones, and “Shifting Carbon”, a dark grey with black and blue tones, were chosen as the colour combination. It culminates in the transcendent name of the vehicle: Celestial Jade. Especially in Asia, jade is a noble and precious material that is rich in tradition and associated with happiness and longevity. Carbon, by contrast, symbolises the pioneering spirit of Porsche. This innovative and powerful colour is often seen in the world of motor racing. The material is robust, light and durable.
Bespoke logo with symbolic power, special carbon-weave finish components In addition to the spectacular Chromaflair exterior paintwork, the one-off car features a specially designed logo in several places. The logo is inspired by “LongMa”, a mythical being with a dragon’s head (“Long”) and the body of a horse (“Ma”) said to be of great power and strength, and an auspicious symbol bringing good luck. The motif is also adds a layer of meaningful symbolism to the Taycan Turbo S Celestial Jade, since 2024 is also the chinese Zodiac Year of the Dragon, and the horse reflects the Taycan, with Turkish origins meaning a ‘Young Horse’. The “LongMa” logo on the Taycan Turbo S Celestial Jade can be seen on the sill guards of the front and rear doors, on the door projector and all headrests.
Another highlight, designed to match the Chromaflair paintwork, is the carbon-weave finish components in varnished Carbon. These replace the standard Turbonite-coloured inlays on the front bumper, on the side skirts and on the rear diffuser. The airblades on the wheels are also made from this special, hand-crafted material. The varnish allows the carbon-fibre compound to shine through. Depending on the angle you look at it from, the surface shimmers in different hues.
“Leather to Sample” now also available for the Taycan In addition to the ten leather and 15 seam colours that Porsche offers as standard for the Taycan, “Leather to Sample” is now also available for this model series via the Sonderwunsch programme. This further customisation option celebrates its premiere with the Taycan Turbo S Celestial Jade. The interior specialists from the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur have combined the standard colour Slate Grey with the “Leather to Sample” option Englishgreen. This elegant, dark green can be found in the doors, the centre console and the front and rear seats. In addition to Englishgreen, the “Leather to Sample” programme includes around 150 colours.
For especially individual requests, Porsche goes a step further: with “Leather to Sample Plus”, the colour can be chosen almost entirely freely. Inquiries can be made through the Porsche Centres, and the experts at Porsche AG will then check the feasibility.
About the Sonderwunsch programme Porsche is reinterpreting its legendary Sonderwunsch programme from the late 1970s, which will enable it to design individualised, one-off cars – co-created by the customer and professionally produced by Porsche. The offering has now been expanded. In addition to the ability to commission individual customer colour and material requests directly in production at the factory, this expansion also includes subsequent Factory Re-Commissioning and Factory One-Off services for vehicles that have already been delivered to the customer.
Customers can contact their Porsche Centre for customisations on new cars. If the request is beyond the bounds of what the Car Configurator can offer, the Sonderwunsch process kicks into gear with an arranged personal customer consultation at Zuffenhausen or one of the international locations, such as Atlanta or Los Angeles. Here, experts from the manufacturer evaluate individual customer requests and take care of the technical approval for the relevant Factory Commissioning area. Typical Sonderwunsch features range from leather in the luggage compartment to painting the whole exterior in multiple colours using different types of paint surface technology.
About Porsche Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Porsche Asia Pacific Pte Ltd is a subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. The company started operations on 1 October 2001 and currently serves 13 countries from its headquarters in Singapore: Brunei, Cambodia, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. Porsche Asia Pacific sees itself as an incubator for the market and supports importers and dealers in the areas of customer service, business development, marketing, new business areas, public relations and sales. In this way, the company helps them to further professionalise their operations and address the needs of their customers in order to ultimately expand their business.
About Porsche Singapore Pte. Ltd. Porsche Singapore Pte. Ltd. is a retail company of Porsche Asia Pacific and the Eurokars Group and was founded in March 2022. Porsche Singapore sells new cars and vehicles with Porsche registration from the new Porsche Studio Singapore in Guoco Midtown. The central point of contact for all service matters relating to Porsche vehicles is the Porsche Service Centre in 27A Tanjong Penjuru.
