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Tag: Orange Flame

  • Bespoke, new Bentley Continental GT Speed Leads Monterey Car Week Debut

    Bespoke, new Bentley Continental GT Speed Leads Monterey Car Week Debut

    • The new, fourth-generation Continental GT Speed has arrived in the US, Bentley’s biggest market
    • Leading the charge is a unique, bespoke example commissioned through Mulliner, Bentley’s in-house personalisation division
    • New Continental GT Speed coupe and Convertible to make US public debut at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering on Friday 16th August
    • Start of official US tour for new model, including customer test drives
    • Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain features 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 paired with powerful electric motor
    • 782 PS (771 bhp) and 1,000 Nm (738 lb.ft) make the new GT Speed the most powerful and most dynamic Bentley yet
    • Speed Six Continuation Series and 1961 S2 Drophead Coupe travel to the USA for Monterey Car Week

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, UK – Bentley’s new, fourth-generation Continental GT Speed is to make its US debut this week, at the prestigious The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering – part of Monterey Car Week. The launch will feature the first new Continental GT Speed to include bespoke content added by Mulliner, Bentley’s in-house personalisation and coachbuilding division.

    Responsible not only for bespoke work to mainstream Bentley models, now including the new Continental GT Speed, Mulliner also created the Blower and Speed Six Continuation Series and the exquisite and highly limited Bacalar, Batur and Batur Convertible coachbuilt Bentleys.

    Personally Commissioned Through Mulliner
    From launch, the new Continental GT Speed is available with personalised details through Mulliner’s Personal Commissioning Guide. This permits customers to explore their imagination away from the typical options list, which alone can create tens of billions of possible specification combinations.

    For Monterey Car Week, an orange-themed GT Speed created through Mulliner will lead the fleet. The exterior paintwork is finished in Orange Flame Satin, one of 15 satin colours in Bentley’s paint range that each take up to 55 hours of craftsmanship to apply and finish to the perfect standard. In contrast to the orange bodywork, all exterior brightware is finished in gloss black, with matching black-painted 22” ten-spoke wheels with self-levelling badges. The visual impact of the specification is matched aurally, thanks to a sports exhaust and the Naim for Bentley audio system.

    The interior is where the Personal Commissioning Guide elements come to the fore. Starting from a cabin crafted in Gravity Grey (a new shade for the new Continental GT Speed) and Brunel leathers, accents of contrast orange bring the cockpit to life. The Diamond Quilted areas to the seats, doors and rear quarter panels feature contrast-stitching in Gravity Grey. The same colour is used with a Piano finish in conjunction with Piano Brunel for dual finish painted fascias, with the centre console matching in Piano Brunel – both colours exactly matched to their respective hides.

    Accents in Mandarin – a bright orange – are then applied as a painted pinstripe to the fascias, door waistrails and the vanes of the upper ‘bullseye’ air vents. The split line through the two colours of the fascias carries a dark tint finish. The same Mandarin orange accent graces all four seats through contrast piping, carrying the orange theme from the exterior into the cabin.

    Bentley at Monterey Car Week
    A fleet of more than 30 new Continental GT Speeds has now arrived in North America, ready to start a nationwide dealer tour and a programme of customer drives and events to demonstrate the incredible potency of Bentley’s new Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain. The latest evolution of the Continental GT family features an all-new 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine paired with a powerful electric motor and 25.9 kWh battery, for an astonishing suite of performance statistics. The new Grand Tourer is a true everyday supercar and can accelerate from standstill to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds, achieve a top speed of 208 mph, and yet travel 50 miles on electric power alone on the EU drive cycle – while creating only 29 g/km of CO2  and with a total range of more than 500 miles.

    Bentley will continue its significant presence across Monterey Car Week for 2024. Along with the squadron of new Continental GT Speeds, two very special Bentleys have made the journey to California for the event

    Following a global dynamic debut at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Speed Six Continuation Series will appear on-the-road throughout Monterey Car Week. After the Bedford Grey ‘Factory Works’ car graced Goodwood, the Parsons Napier Green ‘Car Zero’ – which has recently completed the engineering test and development programme for the project – will be used for customer, media and VIP passenger rides across the week.

    The Bentley Heritage Collection’s 1961 S2 Drophead Coupe – one of just 15 ever made – will also join the event, fresh from a two-year restoration programme. The car represents Bentley’s first ever entry into the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, taking pride of place in the Post-War Touring class.

    Meanwhile, Bentley’s iconic Friday night dinner on Seal Rock Beach returns, sponsored this year by the Bentley Environmental Foundation and featuring some exciting new developments for the initiative. The new GT Speed coupe and Convertible will be joined by the S2 Drophead Coupe and Speed Six to form a Guard of Honour at Bentley’s famous Signature Party at the Beach & Tennis Club – the place to be on the Saturday night of Monterey Car Week.

    The new Continental GT Speed

    The fourth generation Continental GT Speed follows in the 21-year tradition of the Continental GT family by redefining the ultimate blend of supercar performance, handcrafted luxury and everyday usability.

    A comprehensive exterior and interior redesign with clean modern detailing follow the new design DNA established by the coachbuilt Bentley Bacalar and Batur. Outstanding performance is brought by the all-new Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain with 782 PS and 1,000 Nm, from a 4.0-litre V8 working in tandem with a 190 PS electric motor.

    The performance of the powertrain is matched by a new chassis system, with new two-chamber air springs paired with new dual-valve dampers, along with Bentley Dynamic Ride (48V active anti-roll control), eLSD and torque vectoring. Incredible body control and the best Continental GT ride comfort to date are the results, supported by a 49:51, rear-biased weight distribution for the first time in the car’s history.

    Under the skin, a suite of innovative modern technology delivers class-leading capability so that every journey is a seamless experience in terms of driver assistance, infotainment systems and connected car services.

    The new exterior continues the design revolution for Bentley’s future journey, with the biggest revision to the face of the Continental GT in two decades, and the first mainstream Bentley with single headlamps since the 1950s.

    World-leading Bentley interior cabin design, materials, quality, and craftsmanship continue with the introduction of further wellness seat technology, new air ionisation, three-dimensional leather textures, new modern quilting, and technical finishes such as new dark chrome.

    For the first time in the history of the Continental GT, the convertible Continental GTC is being launched concurrently with the coupe – providing ultimate flexibility for customers who appreciate both open topped and closed roof motoring.

    Both coupe and convertible models will be crafted entirely by hand at Bentley’s Dream Factory in Crewe, England. Production is due to begin in late Q3 with deliveries starting in Q4.

    About Bentley Motors

    Bentley Motors is the most sought-after luxury car brand in the world. The company’s headquarters in Crewe is home to all of its operations including design, R&D, engineering, Mulliner and production of the company’s five model lines, Continental GT, Continental GT Convertible, Flying Spur, Bentayga and Bentayga EWB. The combination of fine craftsmanship, using skills that have been handed down through generations, alongside engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology is unique to UK luxury car brands such as Bentley. It is also an example of high-value British manufacturing at its best. Bentley employs around 4,000 people at Crewe.

  • Bentley Celebrates 20 Years in China with London Inspired Commissions from Mulliner

    Bentley Celebrates 20 Years in China with London Inspired Commissions from Mulliner

    • Two decades of Bentley in China marked with new Mulliner Bentleys
    • Four families of 20 cars each showcase stunning Mulliner designs
    • Each family inspired by a different iconic London location
    • Mulliner’s designers create unique specifications to reflect unique characters, matched by artisanal handcraftsmanship
    • New colours, veneers and bespoke details used for the first time
    • ‘The Guard’ Continental GT pays homage to the Royal Guards
    • ‘The Carnaby’ Continental GTC celebrates Carnaby Street in Soho
    • ‘The Pall Mall’ Flying Spur inspired by the Bentley State Limousine
    • ‘The Savile Row’ Bentayga inspired by the world’s most famous tailors
    • All 80 V8-powered cars to be sold in China

    [source: Bentley]

    Crewe, England – Bentley Mulliner has created a unique collection of new Bentleys to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the British marque’s presence in China. Each of the four special models has been inspired by a famous location in London, where W.O. Bentley founded Bentley Motors in 1919.

    Mulliner’s considered design and meticulous handcraftsmanship have been applied to the Continental GT, Continental GTC, Flying Spur and Bentayga to create the four families of cars within the collection, with each one numbered as one of 20 to denote its exclusivity.

    The four models – The Guard, The Carnaby, The Pall Mall and The Savile Row – introduce unique designs, embroidery and Mulliner features that characterise the cars and celebrate their iconic London muses. 20 cars in each family are due to be individually handcrafted by Mulliner, and all are destined for Chinese clients.

    The Guard

    The first car in the collection is The Guard, inspired by the famous Royal Guards who protect the Royal Household. St James Red (saintjamesred; metallic UNI; 6331 / 9561031; Bentley) pearlescent paint with a Beluga roof mimic the red tunic and 18” black bearskin hats worn by the Guards. The bodywork is complemented by 21” ten-spoke wheels, painted black but with a bright machined finish, and a carbon fibre Styling Specification body kit (front splitter, side sill extensions, rear diffuser and boot lid spoiler) also painted in Beluga but finished with a Moonbeam pinstripe. Subtle ‘The Guard’ exterior badges in black, denoting the car as one of 20, adorn the front wings.

    Inside the cabin, a bespoke three-tone colour split in Linen, Beluga and Hotspur is completed by Beluga lambswool rugs. Veneers match the leather, being finished in Piano Hotspur over Piano Black, demonstrating Mulliner’s ability to paint wood veneer to match any interior hide or exterior paint hue. Contrast stitching and piping add the final accents of colour.

    The gold tunic buttons of the Guards’ uniform are reflected by Gold Organ Stops to control the cabin heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, while the speakers of the Bang & Olufsen sound system are finished in black and gold to match. Headrest embroidery, an overlay to the passenger fascia and bespoke treadplates all carry The Guard graphics.

    The Carnaby

    The Convertible model in the collection is The Carnaby, based on Carnaby Street in London’s Soho district. Known for its energetic and lively atmosphere and bright colours, Carnaby Street has inspired an equally vibrant Bentley available in four different colours – Radium (radium; metallic UNI; 6640 / 9560236; Bentley), Jetstream II (jetstreamii; metallic UNI; 6572 / 9560249; Bentley), Orange Flame (orangeflame; metallic UNI; 6201 / 9560002; Bentley) and Onyx (onyx; metallic UNI; 6935 / 95g0161; Bentley). 22” wheels are black-painted and then finished with a solid white (Arctica) accent, which is matched by an Arctica pinstripe to the Styling Specification body kit. The Carnaby badging is fitted to the front wings.

    Inside, bespoke Radium hide accents and matching contrast stitching in both Radium and Silver bring a splash of vibrancy through Beluga leather, along with a colourful diamond motif set into the passenger fascia, that represents the four colours in the family.

    The centre console features new dark tint diamond brushed aluminium, while embroidery uses the same diamond motif as the fascia – with the exterior colour shown more boldly in the four-colour design.

    The Pall Mall

    In 2002, the same year that the first Bentley was sold in China, Bentley delivered a new State Limousine to Her Majesty The Queen, in celebration of her Golden Jubilee. 20 years later, the car is still the official State Limousine of Her Majesty, and often seen on formal and state occasions.

    The Pall Mall Flying Spur is a 2022 homage to the State Limousine, featuring bespoke duo-tone Beluga (beluga; non-metallic UNI; 6901 / 9561026; Bentley) over Claret (claret; mica metallic UNI; 6322 / 9560117; Bentley) paint with matching 22” ten-spoke wheels in a claret-painted and bright-machined finish. Exterior bright chromework and a “The Pall Mall” badge to the C-pillar complete the regal exterior.

    In the four-seat cabin, a bespoke and unique front-to-rear colour split separates the rear seats from the front, flowing from Imperial Blue in the front to the bespoke hide colour of Baroda Blue (colour-matched to the hide in the State Limousine) for the rear seats. A full length centre console separates the two rear seats. The veneer uses one wood species with two different finishes – Open Pore Burr Walnut over High Gloss Burr Walnut, for a beautiful combination of pattern and texture. The rear doors are finished with Burr Walnut, while the backs of the front seats house picnic tables finished in Piano Baroda Blue.

    The finishing touches to the cabin include bespoke micro-piping in Pale Gold, contrasting with seat piping in Imperial Blue. A bespoke crown motif is embroidered to the seats, and the rear seats include loose leather-trimmed cushions. The crown motif is also repeated as a veneer overlay in Gold to the centre rear console, the passenger fascia and the rear door panels.

    The Savile Row

    The final car in the collection is The Savile Row – a Bentayga that uses the world-renowned home of tailoring as its inspiration. Traditional tailoring materials are given a modern twist, with a design that pays respect to the craftspeople of Savile Row.

    Clean Cumbrian Green (cumbriangreen; metallic UNI; 6615 / 9560152; Bentley) bodywork is twinned with 22” ten-spoke wheels, Cumbrian Green-painted and with a bright machined finish. Inside, the four seat cabin with rear centre console uses a beautiful bespoke colour split in Cumbrian Green and Portland hides, with carefully selected areas of contrast stitching. Mulliner’s ‘Serenity’ seat quilting to the seats, doors and backboard is complemented by bespoke and exclusive High Gloss Burr Elm veneer on the fascias, centre consoles and door waistrails – the first time this veneer has been used in a modern Bentley.

    Embroidery showing a suit and bow tie is stitched to the headrests, while the special model is also denoted by an overlay in the passenger fascia and by bespoke treadplates, along with exterior badging to the D pillar.

    Summary

    The 80 cars of this special collection will be sold exclusively in China over the coming months, with the first examples due to make their global debut in China shortly. Customer demand for these unique examples of Mulliner’s incredible design and artisanal handcraftsmanship skills is already extremely high.