Bentley Mulsanne Key Celebrates Its Centenary

Mulliner, Bentley's custom coachbuilding unit, has created a unique keycase to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Bentley. It is made of Dark Stained Burr Walnut and Piano Black veneer, it includes a flying 'B' paperweight, a set keys as well as a brochure with never-before-seen 1930 8 Litre images.

It's the perfect present to greet a new owner of their luxurious vehicle.

Aesthetics

Bentley is a company which takes its aesthetics seriously. It is evident in the precise positioning of its quilting, the use of leather that is made from products of cattle, the wood from sustainably-managed forests, and the ingenuous patterns of its levers. A car like the Continental GT W12 beckons as you take it in and showcases its stunning sculptural design and power through carefully planned lighting.

The Continental GT is Bentley's most sophisticated open-top car. The rear tonneau, for instance, displayed the largest piece of book-matched, dark-stained Burr Walnut veneer ever applied to a production Bentley. 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.

It is this bespoke design, attention to detail and craftsmanship to detail that has established Bentley as the world's most desirable automotive brand. The company continues to push boundaries using the most advanced technologies and craftsmanship. This includes the introduction of an electronic tilt-opening rear window sunroof, as well as a custom-designed Apple iPad docking station.

Bentley celebrated its 100th anniversary in the year 2019 one hundred years after it was established. The marque, currently owned by Volkswagen without a partner following years of conflict with BMW and Volkswagen, had planned a variety of special events and launches to commemorate this milestone. Prior to pandemic planning taking the spotlight, the marque had a range of special events and launches planned to commemorate this milestone event.

Design

Bentley is a renowned brand for its luxurious and ostentatious cars, but even keys are designed to stand out. The Bentayga key is crafted from sterling silver and features an enormous 'B' design that let everyone know that you're driving a Bentley. It's also engraved with the years 1919 and 2019 to celebrate the company's centenary.

Bentley Mulliner has redesigned and created the Mulsanne to become the ultimate Grand Touring vehicle. The rear seats are designed to give passengers the most comfortable and private experience. They were inspired by the luxurious private aircraft. A custom heating, ventilation and air conditioning system was designed to ensure each passenger has the ideal temperature control.

Alongside a series of elegantly executed styling revisions The Mulsanne is powered by twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre W12 engine that is capable of producing 560bhp and 479lb-ft of torque. This amazing power is coupled with a new suspension system that provides Bentley's trademark smooth ride.

Bentley has launched a new specification for cars manufactured after 2019 to commemorate its centennial. This is known as the Centenary Specification. The cabin is decorated with cross-stitching as well as contrast stitching in Centenary Gold throughout. The Bentley Wings on the headrests and seats are stitched in Centenary Gold, adding to the sense of celebration. The Centenary Specification also includes a personalized Bentley keycase, completing the Bentley experience.

Function

The Bentley Mulsanne key features buttons that open the trunk, as well as a button that starts the car. The key also includes a switch to turn on the parking brake. The knob can be used to fold or unfold the mirrors if you are parking in a tight spot. This feature helps you get into and out of your car.

The key is made from vegetable tanned leather. It takes about two days to create each one. It is cut by hand and shaped, then sewn, sealed and polished to provide an extremely high-end finish. It is sturdy and compact, and will fit the Bentley key perfectly. Its style is similar to the Volkswagen Phaeton large car's bently Key, but it feels much heavier and has a more premium feel.

Secure-A-Key is also included to prevent keyless entry theft. This device is inserted into the remote control key fob and will shut it off after a few minutes of inactivity, which prevents thieves from transmitting the frequency of the key to other devices that can unlock and start the vehicle.

Bentley's unique design is a reflection of the company's values which include exquisite craftsmanship and engineering expertise as well as cutting-edge technology. More than 4,000 employees work at the Crewe headquarters, where they are responsible for the design, development and production of Bentley cars. These workers apply the skills that have been passed down through generations to cutting-edge automotive technologies. This is the characteristic of British manufacturing at its best.

Personalisation

Bentley's Mulliner division allows customers to design their own car. The customers sit at a set of images, referred to "mood stations" and choose a selection of photos - from scenic vistas to sporting events - that will inspire them to design their own. Each time a selection is made, a pattern is created, which reveals the model and color preferences for the personalized Bentley.

The guests are given keys made by hand and containing the R.F.I.D. enabled key cards. The keys can also be equipped with Bentley Muliner Personalised Welcome Lamps that light up the door's opening pathway with the owner's name or emblem when they are approaching the vehicle.

Bentley estimates that it takes around 500 man-hours to design and assemble the average Mulsanne. The unwillingness to embrace modern technology is the primary factor to this time-consuming effort. The Crewe factory workers do not utilize a machine for arranging perfectly matched leather seats. Instead they do it by hand. Drivers are required to park their vehicles manually, rather than relying on the built-in sensors to direct them to perpendicular and parallel spaces.

During the event, Bentley showcased its Mulliner personalization options with an exclusive example - the Mulsanne W.O. The Mulsanne W.O. Edition pays tribute to the founder William Osler bentley key programming. The limited-edition cars have 100 of them. an exclusive key that shows a slice of the 1930 8 Litre's crankshaft.