Bentley Mulsanne Key Celebrates Its Centenary
Bentley's bespoke coachbuilding division, Mulliner, has designed a unique key case to commemorate the brand's centennial. It's made of Dark Stained Burr Walnut with Piano Black Veneer and includes an eagle-like "B" paperweight keys, as well as a booklet featuring never-before-seen 1930s 8 Litre images.
It's the perfect present to introduce a new owner to their luxurious car.
Aesthetics
As a design-centric company Bentley takes its aesthetics seriously. It's evident in the precise position of its quilting, the selection of leather from the by-products of cattle, wood that comes from sustainably managed forests and the ingenious patterns that are etched on its levers. When you drive by a car like the Continental GT W12, its stunning design is accentuated by carefully selected lighting.
The Continental GT is the most sophisticated open-top Bentley ever made. The rear of the tonneau in the Continental GT, for instance it was the biggest piece of dark-stained Burr Walnut veneer that was book-matched. Similarly, the electrically-operated glass sunroof and champagne cooler that incorporated hand-blown and hand-cut lead crystal bottles marked a new benchmark in luxury and innovation.
Bentley is the most sought-after automotive brand in the world due to its distinctive design and workmanship. The company continues to push the boundaries with the latest technology and manufacturing techniques, such as the introduction of a digital instrument cluster as well as an electric tilt-opening rear glass sunroof, a handcrafted docking station for Apple iPads and electrochromic "smart" glass that can be changed from opaque to transparent at the touch of an arrow.
A century after its creation, Bentley - now under sole Volkswagen ownership after years of conflict with BMW - celebrated its centenary in the year 2019. The company planned a range of special events and launches to celebrate the occasion prior to when the pandemic was declared a priority.
Design
Bentley is famous for its extravagant and lavish cars and keys, but even the keys are made to stand out. The Bentayga Key is constructed of sterling silver and features an enormous B' logo to let everyone know that you're a Bentley. It's also engraved with the years 1919 and 2019, to commemorate the company's centenary.
The Mulsanne was revamped and redesigned by Bentley Mulliner to become the ultimate Grand Touring car. It comes with two pairs of rear seats that were designed to be reminiscent of luxury private aviation offering passengers unbeatable comfort and privacy. A custom heating, air conditioning and ventilation system has been designed to ensure that every passenger has the ideal temperature control.
The Mulsanne has twin turbocharged 6.75 litre W12 engine that generates 560bhp, and 479lb-ft of torque. This powerhouse is complemented by a new suspension design that offers Bentley's signature hushed ride.
In celebration of its Centenary, Bentley introduced a bespoke specification known as the Centenary Specification for vehicles built in 2019. This includes cross-stitching and contrast stitching in Centenary Gold thread throughout the cabin. The Bentley Wings are embroidered with Centenary Gold on the headrests seats, the interior and other areas of the car. This makes it more fun to celebrate. The Centenary Specification also includes a bespoke Bentley keycase, which completes the Bentley experience.
Function
The Bentley Mulsanne Key comes with two buttons one of which opens the trunk, and the second that starts the vehicle. It also has a switch to activate the parking break. There is a knob to fold and unfold the mirrors when parking in tight spaces. Using this feature can aid you in getting in and out of the car more easily.
Each key takes about two days to make. It is cut by hand and shaped, then sewn, sealed, and polished to produce the highest-quality finish. It is compact and strong and fits the Bentley key perfectly. Its design is similar to the Volkswagen Phaeton's huge car key, however it feels more substantial and luxurious.
It also has Secure-A-Key that helps to prevent theft of keys without keypads. The device is placed inside the remote-control key fob. It will shut it off after a few minutes of inactivity, which prevents thieves from transmitting the key's frequency to other devices that could unlock and start the vehicle.
Bentley's unique design is a reflection of the values of the company that include fine craftsmanship engineering expertise, as well as modern technology. Over 4,000 people work at its Crewe headquarters, which is responsible for the development, design, and production of Bentley cars. These workers apply skills that have been handed through generations to the latest automotive technologies. This is the hallmark of British manufacturing at its finest.
Personalisation
Bentley's bespoke division, Mulliner, allows customers to create their own vehicle. The customers sit at a set of images called "mood stations" and pick a set of photos ranging from picturesque views to sporting events that can inspire them to design their own. As each selection is made, a pattern will emerge that reveals the design and color preferences for the customized Bentley.
The configuration that is created is loaded onto individual R.F.I.D.-enabled keys which are handed out to guests in a custom-made key case. The keys can be fitted with Bentley Muliner Personalised welcome lamps, which illuminate the path of the entrance door, and display the owner's name or logo as they approach the vehicle.
Bentley estimates that it requires 500 man-hours to build and put together the Mulsanne. The unwillingness to embrace modern technology is the main factor to this laborious task. Instead of employing a machine for spacers to the perfectly-matched leather seats, workers at the Crewe factory do it by hand. Drivers must park their cars manually, rather than relying on the built-in sensors to guide them into perpendicular and parallel spaces.
The event also saw Bentley showcased its Mulliner personalization capabilities with a special example - the Mulsanne W.O. bentley key fob replacement , which pays tribute to founder William Osler Bentley. The limited edition cars come with a key that displays an item from the 1930 8 Litre crankshaft.