A striking, highly personalised duo-tone Bentayga EWB Azure V8 - the first of its kind - has been delivered to its expectant customers, having been crafted by hand by Bentley’s bespoke and personalisation division, Mulliner.
An example of the growing trend among Bentley customers for personal commissions, the car is a stunning example of a truly individual Bentley - the result of the free rein that a Mulliner commission provides. Among the unique features requested by the owners was a bespoke two-tone exterior finish, prompting Bentley to bring forward its introduction of two-tone finishes for the Bentayga EWB by 12 months.
Going beyond the tens of billions of specifications possible from the Bentley options list, customers are encouraged to participate in the design of unique vehicles, as part of a process that Mulliner terms ‘co-curation’. Vibrant colour schemes, bespoke materials and customised features are welcomed as a challenge in the Mulliner workshops by their team of designers and skilled artisans.
A commission by a couple in Irvine,
California for a Bentayga EWB is typical of the way a Bentley
handcrafted by Mulliner can evolve. The customers originally visited
Bentley Newport Beach to order a Bentayga EWB Azure V8 First Edition,
intending to select exterior colours and interior finishes from the 46
billion different configurations available with the standard options
range.
But with the help of Mulliner’s Design Manager, Phill
Dean, the couple were soon inspired to let their imaginations roam free.
They were instantly attracted to Kingfisher, a brilliant metallic
electric blue finish, but felt it needed a contrast exterior colour to
complement the Blackline styling specification. Conversations with
Bentley’s Paint Shop established that a duo-tone would be possible,
initiating a process to bring the launch of this option on Bentayga EWB
forwards by a year.
The Bentayga EWB commissioned by the customers is a striking and individual creation, with a duo-tone exterior of Onyx over Kingfisher Blue conceived to dazzle in the California sunshine. Having established a base specification of the Azure wellness-focused package, complete with Blackline and Touring specifications, the couple also requested rear privacy glass and the deletion of Bentley lettering on the tailgate, being content to let the winged B badge speak for itself.
The Onyx finish chosen for the bonnet, roof and upper body is seamlessly integrated with the gloss black grille, front air intakes, wing vents, side coachlines and rear diffuser of the Blackline specification. It makes a dramatic contrast with the Kingfisher blue finish, while the dark roof and cabin creates a lower, sportier visual impression. The colour split is repeated in the 22-inch ten-spoke wheels with a painted finish in Kingfisher and Beluga. Self-levelling Bentley wheel badges add the finishing touch to the exterior.
The
interior of this unique Bentayga EWB is as stunning as it is
meticulously crafted, and the customers spent many hours exploring the
palette of choice with Phill Dean. Their choices included the four-seat
configuration with Bentley’s airline seat specification for the two rear
seats, Naim for Bentley audio system and mood lighting. More vibrant
however is the customers’ own vision of luxury, with a cabin in the
dramatic combination of Mandarin and Imperial Blue leather. Light,
contemporary and sustainable Open Pore Koa Veneer was chosen for the
fascia, rear centre console, door inners and picnic tables. But it’s the
flashes of Kingfisher accent hide that make the most dramatic impact,
appearing on the seat bolsters, lower fascia, six o-clock tab on the
steering wheel, gear lever and door trim. Kingfisher hide is also
revealed on the upper surface of the picnic tables when extended.
A
Mulliner key box provides security for jewellery and valuables and is
delivered in a combination of Imperial Blue hide and Mandarin, with
Imperial Blue Alcantara for the inner surfaces. Bentley seat emblems are
embroidered in Kingfisher, with the same colour being used for contrast
stitching throughout the cabin. Even the Imperial Blue overmats feature
Kingfisher micro piping with Mandarin stitching and outer binding.
Fittingly, the door treadplates are engraved with a “One of One” message
bespoke to the customer.
The two-tone exterior finish chosen for this Bentayga EWB is now offered as a factory option, one of many examples where customers have helped to shape the company’s product options in colour and trim. Meanwhile, the trend for Mulliner bespoke commissions continues to grow, with around 75 percent of the vehicles that left Bentley’s Dream Factory in Crewe, England in 2023 featuring Mulliner content. This represents a 43 percent rise in Mulliner content over 2022 (itself a record year), proof of the growing demand for luxury personalisation across the Bentley lineup.
