Bentley Mulsanne Key Celebrates Its Centenary
Bentley's custom coachbuilding division, Mulliner, has designed a unique keycase to commemorate the brand's centennial. Made from Dark Stained Walnut and Piano Black veneer, it comes with a flying 'B' paperweight, a set of keys and a brochure that features never-before-seen 1930 8 Litre images.
This is a great method to welcome a brand new vehicle owner.
Aesthetics
As a design-oriented company Bentley takes its aesthetics seriously. It's evident in the exact placement of its quilting, the selection of leather from by-products of cattle, the wood from sustainably managed forests and the ingenious patterns that are etched on its levers. A car like the Continental GT W12 beckons as you take it in with its striking sculptural appeal and power by carefully curated lighting.
The Continental GT is the most sophisticated open-top Bentley ever created. The rear of the tonneau in the Continental GT, for instance, featured the largest 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 car brand worldwide due to its distinctive design and workmanship. The firm continues to push the boundaries with the latest technology and craft, including the introduction of an instrument cluster with digital technology with an electric tilt-opening back glass sunroof, an artisan-made docking station for Apple iPads, and electrochromic smart glass that can be changed between opaque and transparent by an arrow.
Bentley celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019, a century after it was founded. The marque, currently owned by Volkswagen independently following years of conflict with BMW, had planned a number of special events and launches to mark this historic occasion. Prior to the pandemic plan taking place, the marque had a range of special events and launches planned to mark this milestone event.
Design
Bentley is a renowned brand for its luxurious and ostentatious cars however, even keys are designed to stand out. The Bentayga Key is made of sterling silver with a large B' symbol to signal to everyone that you're a Bentley. The key is also embossed with the dates 1919 and 2019 to mark the company’s centenary.
Bentley Mulliner reinvented and designed the Mulsanne to become the ultimate Grand Touring vehicle. It features two opposing sets of rear seats modelled on luxury private aircraft, providing passengers with unparalleled comfort and security. A custom heating, air conditioning, and ventilation system has been designed to provide each passenger with the ideal temperature control.
In addition to a suite of elegantly executed styling revisions and a host of elegantly executed styling changes, the Mulsanne is powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre W12 engine that produces 560bhp as well as 479lbft of torque. This incredible power is complemented by a brand new suspension system that provides Bentley's trademark smooth ride.
Bentley has launched a new specification for cars manufactured after the year 2019 in order to celebrate its centenary. This is referred to as the Centenary Specification. The cabin has cross-stitching, and contrast stitching in Centenary Gold throughout. The Bentley Wings on the headrests and seats are embossed in Centenary Gold, adding to the sense of celebration. A bespoke Bentley key case is also included in the Centenary Specification, making the Bentley experience all-inclusive.
Function
The Bentley Mulsanne Key comes with two buttons one of which opens the trunk, and another that turns on the vehicle. The key also comes with a switch that allows you to turn on the parking brake. There is a knob to fold and unfold the mirrors when parking in tight spaces. Utilizing this feature will aid in getting in and out of the car more quickly.
The Key Lab is constructed from vegetable tanned leather. It takes over two days to craft each one. The key is cut by hand, then shaped, sewed to seal, and polished to achieve a high-quality result. It is light and compact, and it fits the Bentley key perfectly. Its design is similar to the Volkswagen Phaeton's massive car key, but feels more heavy and luxurious.
It also comes with Secure-A-Key that helps to prevent keyless entry theft. This device is inserted inside the remote-control key fob. It is turned off after a few minutes of inactivity, which prevents thieves from transmitting the key's frequency to other devices which can unlock and start the vehicle.
Bentley's distinctive style reflects the company's values of fine craftsmanship, engineering expertise, and cutting-edge technology. The headquarters in Crewe are home to more than 4,000 workers who are responsible for the design, development and production of Bentley vehicles. These workers apply the skills that have been handed down through generations to cutting-edge automotive technology. This is the characteristic of British manufacturing at its finest.
Personalisation
Bentley's Mulliner division lets customers create their own car. The "mood station" allows customers to choose images that inspire them. They can choose anything from scenic vistas and sporting events. Each time a selection is made the pattern that emerges is the model colors, style and color preferences for the personalized Bentley.
The resulting configuration is saved to individual R.F.I.D.-enabled keys, which are presented to the guests in a custom-made key case. The keys can be fitted with Bentley Muliner Personalised welcome lamps that illuminate the pathway of the opening door with the owner's logo or name as they approach the car.
Bentley estimates that it takes around 500 man-hours to craft and assemble the average Mulsanne. The key to this time-consuming effort is a conscious refusal to embrace the latest technology. The Crewe factory workers don't use a machine to space perfectly-matched cross stitched leather seats. Instead they do it by hand. Drivers have to park their cars manually, rather than relying on sensors built-in to direct them to parallel and perpendicular spots.
At the event, Bentley showcased its Mulliner personalization options with one of a kind - the Mulsanne W.O. The Mulsanne W.O. Edition pays homage to founder William Osler Bentley. The limited edition cars include a key that displays an item from the 1930 8 Litre crankshaft.