Bentley Mulsanne Key Celebrates Its Centenary

Mulliner, Bentley's bespoke coachbuilding unit has created a unique keycase to mark the 100th anniversary of the Bentley brand. It is made of Dark Stained Burr Walnut with Piano Black Veneer and includes the flying "B" paperweight keys, as well as a booklet featuring never-before-seen 1930s 8 Litre images.

This is a great way to welcome a new vehicle owner.

Aesthetics

As a design-centric company Bentley takes its aesthetics seriously. It is evident in the precise placement of its quilting as well as the use of leather from products of cattle, the wood from sustainably-managed forests, and the unique patterns of its levers. A car like the Continental GT W12 beckons as you walk up to it to show its sculptural beauty and power through carefully planned lighting.

The Continental GT is Bentley's most sophisticated open-top vehicle. The rear tonneau of the Continental GT, for example, 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 automobile brand in the world because of its unique design and craftsmanship. The company continues to push the boundaries by utilizing the most advanced technology and workmanship, such as the introduction of the digital instrument cluster and an electric tilt-opening rear glass sunroof, a custom-designed docking station for Apple iPads, and electrochromic 'smart' glass that can be switched from transparent to opaque by pressing an arrow.

Bentley celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019 a century after it was established. The marque, currently owned by Volkswagen alone following years of tense relations with BMW, had planned a series of special events and launches to commemorate this significant occasion. The marque planned a series of special events and launches to mark the occasion before the planning of a pandemic became a priority.

Design

Bentley is known for its extravagant and lavish automobiles and keys, but even the keys are designed to make a statement. The Bentayga Key is made of sterling silver, and has an enormous B' logo to show everyone that you're driving a Bentley. It's also engraved with the years 1919 and 2019 to mark the company's centenary.

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

Alongside a series of exquisitely executed styling tweaks The Mulsanne is powered by twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre W12 engine that produces 560bhp and 479lb-ft of torque. This incredibly powerful power is paired by a new suspension system which provides Bentley's renowned quiet ride.

Bentley has announced a special specification for cars made after 2019 to celebrate its centenary. This is known as the Centenary Specification. The cabin features cross-stitching and contrast stitching in Centenary Gold throughout. The Bentley Wings are embroidered with Centenary Gold on the headrests as well as the seats and other parts of the car. This makes it more fun to celebrate. The Centenary Specification also includes a personalized Bentley keycase, completing the Bentley experience.

Function

The Bentley Mulsanne key features buttons that open the trunk, and another button that can start the car. It also has a switch to switch on the parking break. The knob can be used to fold or unfold the mirrors while parking in a tight space. This feature makes it easier to get in and out of your car.

The key is made of vegetable tanned leather. It takes two days to create each one. It is hand cut, shaped, sewn, sealed and polished to create an extremely high-end finish. It is durable, compact, and fits the Bentley key perfectly. Its design is reminiscent of the Volkswagen Phaeton's huge car key, however it feels more heavy and luxurious.

It also has Secure-A-Key which can help prevent theft of keys that are keyless. The device is placed inside the remote-control key fob and stops it after a couple of minutes of inactivity. This prevents thieves from transmitting the key's frequency to other devices that can unlock and start the vehicle.

Bentley's distinctive design is a reflection of the values of the company which include exquisite craftsmanship, engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology. The headquarters in Crewe house more than 4,000 workers who are responsible for the development, design and production of Bentley vehicles. They apply their skills that have been passed through generations to modern automotive technologies. This is British manufacturing at its best.

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 inspire them to design their own. Each time a selection is made, a pattern appears, which reveals the model and spare color preferences of the customized Bentley.

The resulting configuration is then loaded onto individual R.F.I.D.-enabled key cards that are then presented to the guests in a handmade key case. Keys can be adorned with bentley replacement key fob Muliner Personalised welcome lamps that illuminate the pathway of the door opening with the owner's logo or name as they approach the vehicle.

Bentley estimates it takes approximately 500 man hours to design and put together the typical Mulsanne. The key to this time-consuming effort is a reluctance to embrace the latest technology. The Crewe factory workers don't make use of a machine to create perfectly-matched cross stitched leather seats. Instead they do it by hand. And rather than using the car's built-in sensors guide it to parallel and perpendicular parking spaces, drivers have to do it manually.

During the event, Bentley presented its Mulliner personalization capabilities by presenting one of a kind of the Mulsanne W.O. Edition, which pays tribute to the founder William Osler Bentley. The limited edition cars include a key that displays a piece of the 1930 8 Litre crankshaft.