Bentley Mulsanne Key Celebrates Its Centenary
Mulliner Bentley's coachbuilding unit bespoke, has designed a unique keycase to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Bentley brand. Made from Dark Stained Burr Walnut and Piano Black veneer, it includes a flying 'B' paperweight, a set keys and a brochure that features never-before-seen 1930 8 Litre imagery.
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 precise placement of its quilting, the choice of leather sourced from the by-products of cattle, wood from sustainable forests and the innovative patterns on its levers. As you approach a car like the Continental GT W12, its stunning design is accentuated by carefully curated lighting.
The Continental GT is Bentley's most sophisticated open-top car. The rear tonneau of the Continental GT, for example 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 automobile brand in the world due to its distinctive design and quality. The company continues to push the limits by utilizing the most advanced technology and craft, including the introduction of an instrument cluster with digital technology with an electric tilt-opening back glass sunroof and a crafted docking station for Apple iPads, and electrochromic glass that can be changed from opaque to transparent by pressing the button.
A century after its inception, Bentley - now under sole Volkswagen ownership after years of fighting with BMW it celebrated its centenary in the year 2019. Prior to pandemic planning taking the spotlight, the marque was hosting a variety of special events and launches planned to commemorate this milestone event.
Design
Bentley is a renowned brand for its extravagant and lavish cars and even the keys are made to stand out. The Bentayga Key is made of sterling silver, and has the large B' logo to show everyone that you're driving a Bentley. The key is also decorated with the years 1919 and 2019, to mark the company’s centenary.
The Mulsanne was redesigned and developed by Bentley Mulliner to become the ultimate Grand Touring car. The rear seats were designed to provide passengers with unparalleled comfort and privacy. They were inspired by the luxurious private aircraft. A custom heating, air conditioning and ventilation system was designed to ensure that every passenger has the perfect climate control setting.
Alongside a range of elegantly executed styling revisions as well as a suite of stylishly 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 quiet ride.
In celebration of its Centenary, Bentley introduced a specific specification that is called the Centenary Specification for cars built in 2019. This includes contrast stitching and cross-stitching in Centenary Gold thread throughout the cabin. The Bentley Wings are embroidered with Centenary Gold on the headrests and seats as well as other areas of the car. This adds to the celebration. The Centenary Specification also includes a customized Bentley keycase, adding to the Bentley experience.
Function
The Bentley Mulsanne Key comes with two buttons that open the trunk, and the other that is used to start the vehicle. The key also has a button to turn on the parking brake. The knob can be used to fold or unfold the mirrors while parking in a tight space. This feature helps you get in and out of your vehicle.
Each key takes about two days to create. It is cut by hand to shape, sewn sealed, and polished to produce an excellent finish. It is sturdy small and compact, and it fits the Bentley key perfectly. Its design is similar to that of the Volkswagen Phaeton large car's key however, it feels heavier and has a more luxurious feel.
Secure-A-Key is also included to prevent keyless entry theft. This device is inserted into the remote-control fob, and then shuts it off when the key has not been utilized for a period of a few minutes. It blocks 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 and engineering expertise. It also includes cutting-edge technology. The headquarters in Crewe house more than four hundred employees who are responsible for the development, design, and production of Bentley vehicles. These workers use techniques passed down through generations and apply them to cutting-edge automotive technology. This is the characteristic of British manufacturing at its best.
Personalisation
Bentley's bespoke division, Mulliner, allows customers to create their own vehicle. Guests sit at a series of images, referred to "mood stations" and choose a selection of photos - from scenic views to sporting events that will inspire them to design their own. Every time a choice is made the pattern that emerges will reveal the model, color and style preferences for the personalized Bentley.
The configuration that is created is stored on individual R.F.I.D.-enabled keys which are presented to the guests in a custom key case. The keys can also be equipped with Bentley Muliner Personalised Welcome Lamps that illuminate the door's opening pathway with the owner's name or emblem as they are approaching the vehicle.
Bentley estimates that it requires 500 man-hours to construct and put together a Mulsanne. The inability to adopt modern technology is the key to this laborious task. Instead of using a machine to space the perfectly-matched leather seats workers at the Crewe factory do it by hand. Instead of letting the car's built in sensors guide it into parallel and perpendicular parking spots the drivers must perform the task by hand.
At the event, Bentley displayed its Mulliner personalization capabilities by presenting one particular example that was the Mulsanne W.O. Edition, which pays tribute to the founder William Osler Bentley. The Keylab limited edition cars are available in 100. a special key that displays a slice of the 1930 8 Liter's crankshaft.