The Gentleman Magazine Issue 14 | April 2019 | Page 29

On opening the door, a welcome light illuminates the ground with a Bentley symbol, while treadplates highlight the key years. Inside, the Bentley wings and Bentley ‘B’ on both the steering wheel and gear shifter are adorned with Centenary Gold, as is the ‘B’ on the key. New Continental GT – A Powerful Statement of Intent The latest, all-new Continental GT combines spirited, focused performance with handcrafted luxury and cutting edge technology. Lighter, faster and even more refined, the W12 TSI-powered Continental GT will sprint to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds (100 km/h in 3.7 seconds), with a top speed of 207 mph (333 km/h) and a range of 500 miles. [WLTP drive cycle: fuel consumption, mpg (l/100km) - Combined 20.8 (13.6). Combined CO₂- 308g/km.] Mulliner – Rare by Design Mulliner exists to respond to the requirements of Bentley’s most discerning customers. Any type of personalisation can be undertaken to create a unique Bentley of individual taste. Mulliner's roots date back to the 1500's – the firm's original focus was creating luxurious horse-drawn carriages. In 1923 Mulliner showcased work on a Bentley chassis for the first time, exhibiting a two-seater 3 Litre Bentley at the Olympia Show in London – just four years after Bentley Motors was founded. In 1953, Mulliner coachbuilt one of the most iconic Bentleys ever – the R Type Continental. This model inspired the design of today's Continental GT. In 1957, Mulliner introduced the Continental Flying Spur, a special four-door saloon built on the Bentley Continental chassis. Mulliner officially became part of Bentley Motors in 1959, setting up its workshops in Crewe. car, which was removed during a sympathetic renovation. This backlit piece is set in resin and situated in the middle of the centre dial of the rotating display, adding a piece of history to each car. Each of the 100 cars also features 18K gold plated organ stops inspired by those in the No.9 ‘Blower’ and ‘1 of 100’ treadplates. Bentley’s Centenary Celebration Bentley will celebrate its centenary year on 10 July , 2019. From the very first prototype created in a London mews to the phenomenally powerful and exquisitely crafted cars driven across the world today, Bentley has transformed the face of luxury motoring. W.O. Bentley founded Bentley Motors in order to ‘build a fast car, a good car, the best in its class’. That principle has remained at the heart of Bentley’s vision ever since. Every Bentley built during 2019 will have a collection of carefully curated design touches on both the interior and exterior of the car. On the outside, the badges on the bonnet, boot and wheel centres will feature a specially created metallic finish around the ‘B’ in the logo in Centenary Gold. The bonnet and boot badges will also display the years 1919 to 2019. The Gentleman Magazine | 29