Bentley Mulsanne Key Celebrates Its Centenary
Mulliner, Bentley's coachbuilding unit bespoke, has designed a distinctive keycase to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the brand. Made from Dark Stained Walnut and Piano Black veneer, it includes a fluttering 'B' paperweight, a set of keys as well as a brochure with never-before-seen 1930 8 Litre images.
This is the perfect method to welcome a brand new owner of a vehicle.
Aesthetics
As a design-oriented company Bentley takes its aesthetics seriously. It is evident in the precise positioning of its quilting, the choice of leather sourced from cattle by-products, the wood from sustainable forests and the unique patterns on its levers. As you approach a car like the Continental GT W12, its beautiful sculptural design is highlighted by carefully selected lighting.
The Continental GT is the most sophisticated open-top Bentley ever designed. Its rear tonneau for example, showcased the biggest piece of dark-stained, book-matched 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.
Bentley is the most sought-after brand in the automotive industry in the world because of its bespoke design and craftsmanship. The company continues to push the boundaries using the most advanced technologies and craftsmanship. This includes the introduction of an electronic tilt-opening rear sunroof and a crafted Apple iPad docking station.
Bentley celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019, a century after it was established. The marque, currently owned by Volkswagen alone following years of conflict with BMW and BMW, had planned a series of special launches and events to celebrate the occasion. Prior to the pandemic plan taking center stage, the marque had a range of special events and launches planned to mark this historic occasion.
Design
Bentley is a renowned brand for its extravagant and luxurious cars and even the keys are made to stand out. The Bentayga Key is constructed of sterling silver and features the large B' logo to inform everyone that you drive a Bentley. The key is also inscribed with the dates 1919 and 2019, to commemorate the company's centennial.
The Mulsanne was revamped and redesigned by Bentley Mulliner, to be the ultimate Grand Touring car. It features two opposing pairs of rear seats that were modelled on luxury private aircraft and provides passengers with unbeatable comfort and privacy. The customized heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system was developed to give each passenger the ideal climate control settings.
The Mulsanne comes with twin turbocharged 6.75 litre W12 engine that generates 560bhp as well as 479lb-ft torque. This colossal power is complemented by a revolutionary suspension design that gives Bentley's hushed, quiet ride.
In celebration of its Centenary, Bentley introduced a custom-designed specification known as the Centenary Specification for vehicles built in 2019. The cabin has cross-stitching, and contrast stitching in Centenary Gold throughout. The Bentley Wings on the headrests and seats are embroidered with Centenary Gold, adding to the sense of celebration. thekeylab.co.uk includes a customized Bentley keycase, adding to the Bentley experience.
Function
The Bentley Mulsanne key comes with an opening button for the trunk and a second button which starts the car. It also has a switch to switch on the parking break. There is a knob that can fold and unfold the mirrors when parking in tight spaces. Using this feature can help you get into and out of your car more quickly.
The key is made from vegetable tanned leather. It takes two days to craft each one. It is cut by hand shape, sewn, sealed, and polished to produce an extremely high-end finish. It is durable small and compact, and it fits the Bentley key perfectly. Its design is similar to that of the Volkswagen Phaeton large car's key, but it feels much heavier and has a more premium feel.
Secure-A-Key is also included to help stop keyless entry theft. This device is inserted inside 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 are able to unlock and start the vehicle.
Bentley's unique design is a reflection of the values of the company that include fine craftsmanship engineering expertise, as well as the latest technologies. More than 4,000 employees work at its Crewe headquarters, responsible for the development, design, and production of Bentley automobiles. These workers apply the skills that have been handed through generations to the latest automotive technology. This is the characteristic of British manufacturing at its best.
Personalisation
Bentley's Mulliner division lets customers create their own car. The guests sit at a collection of images referred to as "mood stations" and choose a selection of images ranging from scenic views to sporting events that can inspire them. Each time a selection is made, the pattern that emerges will reveal the model, color and style preferences for the personalized Bentley.
The guests receive keys made by hand that contains the R.F.I.D. enabled key cards. The keys can be equipped with Bentley Muliner Personalised welcome lamps, which illuminate the path of the entrance door, and display the owner's logo or name as they approach the car.
Bentley says it takes roughly 500 man-hours to craft and assemble the average Mulsanne. A key to that time-consuming effort is a reluctance to take advantage of modern technology. The Crewe factory workers do not utilize a machine for arranging perfectly-matched cross stitched leather seats. Instead, they do it by hand. Drivers have to park their cars manually, instead of using the built-in sensors to guide them into perpendicular and paralell spots.
The event also saw Bentley displayed its Mulliner personalization capabilities with a special example - the Mulsanne W.O. Edition, which pays homage to the founder William Osler Bentley. The limited-edition cars have 100 of them. a special key that displays a slice of the 1930 8 Litre's crankshaft.