Mulliner, Bentley’s bespoke division, has seen exponential growth in 2022. This is a continuation of the trend seen last year. According to the company, requests for personalisation and bespoke content via Mulliner have risen by 200 per cent since 2020. This is the highest level the company has seen in its entire history. On average, three Bentleys per day are now produced that include bespoke requests.
The proportion of Bentleys with bespoke features and content has risen from 2 per cent in 2020 to 6 per cent of annual production today. In July 2021, the milestone of 1,000 bespoke projects was passed, since a specific design team was formed in 2014. In just 10 months, the number of projects has risen to 1,350. Not only this, the number of bespoke features requested by a single customer has also gone up significantly.
Owing to the rise in demand from customers, the company is bringing in new customization options for their customers. One such new feature being introduced is 18K Gold Plated Organ Stops which date back to the early days at Le Mans. They pay homage to the original Bentley Boys, whilst providing an iconic and timeless finish. It recently appeared in one of Mulliner’s Limited Edition cars. The Number 9 Edition by Mulliner was in honour of Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin – one of the original ‘Bentley Boys’ of the 1920s and ‘30s. Birkin was a Bentley customer, investor and a racing driver.
Another new addition is an increased selection of open-pore veneers inspired by the natural effect of Stone veneers. Customers can now get Liquid Amber, Vavona and Tamo Ash in more sustainable open-pore finishes. All are treated with an ultra-thin matt lacquer solely for protection and give the surface the natural texture of the wood, varying from the more traditional smooth gloss finished and using 90 per cent less lacquer. The open-pore veneer is painted with three ultra-thin layers of lacquer, together totalling only 0.1 mm in thickness. By comparison, Bentley’s High Gloss lacquer coating is 0.5 mm thick and has a glossy, smooth finish. Each layer is applied by hand and sanded between applications, ensuring the lacquer sticks to the natural grooves of the wood. The resulting finish is wax-like and perfectly highlights the authentic, natural colour and texture of the wood species.
The Mulliner Personal Commissioning Guide offers customers the ability to pick from bespoke hide colours, painted veneers, personalised interior stitching and tweed trimmed door inserts to name. It now includes nine different designer suggestions for customers to choose from. The increased demand has also challenged the team at Mulliner to create new personalisation features.
