Three Bentleys produced per day include bespoke, personalization requests

Bentley's personalization division - Mulliner - has seen exponential growth in 2022 after witnessing the same trend last year. Requests by customers for personalisation and bespoke content on their new purchases via the Mulliner have risen by 200 per cent since 2020, to the highest level in the company’s history. On average, three Bentleys per day are now produced with bespoke requests.

New personalisation features added to the Bentley Mulliner program include 18K Gold Organ Stops, huge array of colour-matched wheels and further open pore veneer choices. The 18K Gold Plated Organ Stops date back to the early days at Le Mans. The feature appeared recently in one of Mulliner’s limited edition cars and can be added to the interior of any specially curated Bentley.

The new open-pore veneer are inspired by the natural effect of stone veneers, the latest offering now includes 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 gives the surface the natural texture of the wood, varying from the more traditional smooth gloss finished and using 90 per cent less lacquer.

Open-pore veneer is painted with just three ultra-thin layers of lacquer, together totalling only 0.1 mm in thickness. 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 highlights the authentic, natural colour and texture of the wood species.

The latest Mulliner Personal Commissioning Guide now includes nine different designer suggestions to help inspire customers or provide a base for them to create their own unique car. 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.