Bentley Mulsanne Key Celebrates Its Centenary

Bentley's custom coachbuilding division, Mulliner, has designed a unique key case to celebrate the brand's centenary. It's made of Dark Stained Burr Walnut with Piano Black Veneer and includes a fluttering "B" paperweight keys, as well as an album of never-before-seen 1930s 8 Litre images.

It is the perfect gift to introduce a new owner to their luxurious car.

Aesthetics

Bentley is a brand which takes its aesthetics seriously. It's evident in the exact positioning of its quilting, the choice of leather sourced from by-products of cattle, the wood that comes from sustainably managed forests and the innovative patterns on its levers. A car like the Continental GT W12 beckons as you take it in with its striking sculptural appeal 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 dark-stained, book-matched Burr Walnut veneer ever applied to the 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, quality and attention to detail that have established Bentley as the most sought-after automotive brand. The company continues pushing boundaries with the latest technology and hand-crafted products. This includes the introduction of an electronic tilt-opening rear sunroof and a handcrafted Apple iPad docking station.

Bentley celebrated its 100th anniversary in the year 2019 a century after it was established. The marque, currently owned by Volkswagen on its own after years of tense relations with BMW and Volkswagen, had planned a series of special events and launches to commemorate this milestone. Prior to pandemic planning taking the center stage, the company had a number of special events and launches planned to celebrate this milestone event.

Design

Bentley is a premium car manufacturer that makes ostentatious and luxurious cars. But even the keys are a statement. The Bentayga key is made from sterling silver. It has the large 'B' symbol that tells everyone you're a Bentley. The key is also embossed with the dates 1919 and 2019, to commemorate the company's centennial.

The Mulsanne was redesigned and developed by Bentley Mulliner to become the ultimate Grand Touring car. The rear seats are designed to provide passengers with unmatched comfort and privacy. They were inspired by the luxury private aircraft. A customized heating, ventilation and air conditioning system has been developed to ensure each passenger has the ideal temperature control.

The Mulsanne is equipped with a twin turbocharged 6.75 litre W12 engine with 560bhp and 479lb-ft torque. This power is paired with a new suspension system which provides Bentley's renowned smooth ride.

In celebration of its Centenary, Bentley introduced a unique specification called the Centenary Specification for vehicles built in 2019. The cabin has cross-stitching, and contrast stitching in Centenary Gold throughout. 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 custom bentley keys keycase to complete the Bentley experience.

Function

The Bentley Mulsanne Key features two buttons that open the trunk, and the other that turns on the vehicle. It also has a button to turn on the parking break. The knob can be used to fold or unfold the mirrors when parking in a tight space. Utilizing this feature can aid you in getting in and out of your vehicle more easily.

Each key takes two days to make. The key is cut by hand, then shaped, sewed, sealed, and then polished to create a high-end result. It is lightweight and durable and matches the Bentley key perfectly. Its design is reminiscent of the Volkswagen Phaeton's huge car key, Bentley Key Programming but feels more substantial and premium.

Secure-A-Key is also available to prevent keyless entry theft. This device is inserted into the remote-control key fob and is turned off after a few minutes of inactivity, which prevents thieves from transmitting the key's frequency to other devices that are able to unlock and start the vehicle.

Bentley's distinctive style reflects the company's values of exquisite craftsmanship and engineering expertise as well as modern technology. Over 4,000 employees are employed at the Crewe headquarters, which is responsible for the design, development, and production of Bentley cars. They employ skills that have been handed over generations and then apply them to cutting-edge automotive technology. This is British manufacturing at its finest.

Personalisation

Bentley's Mulliner division allows customers to create their own car. The guests sit at a collection of images, referred to "mood stations" and pick a set of photos - from scenic landscapes to sporting events that are inspiring to them. Each time a selection is made, a pattern appears that reveals the model and color preferences for the customized Bentley.

The resulting configuration is saved to individual R.F.I.D.-enabled keys that are then presented to the guests in a hand-crafted key case. Keys can be adorned 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 takes around 500 man-hours to build and construct a Mulsanne. The refusal to embrace modern technology is the main factor to this time-consuming task. The Crewe factory workers do not utilize a machine for arranging perfectly matched cross stitched leather seats. Instead they do it by hand. Instead of letting the car's built-in sensors guide it into perpendicular and parallel parking spots the drivers must do it manually.

At the event, Bentley displayed its Mulliner personalization options with one particular example of the Mulsanne W.O. The Mulsanne W.O. Edition pays homage to the founding father of the brand, William Osler Bentley. The limited edition cars are available in 100. a special key that displays a small portion of the 1930 8 Liter's crankshaft.