Why Celebrities Drive Bentleys: 2022 Bentley Lineup Evaluate

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Keith Richards named his “Blue Lena.” Conserving Up With the Kardashians aired a whole episode about Kim Kardashian getting her first. Quavo and Saweetie lately had a custody battle over theirs after breaking apart. Jay-Z leaned on one for the album cowl of Vol. 2… Onerous Knock Life. We’re speaking, after all, about Bentleys.

There’s one thing in regards to the flying B that acts as a magnet for celebrities. Seemingly each A-lister owns (or has owned) one of many luxurious rides, from Elton John, Jennifer Lopez, and Kobe Bryant to Nicki Minaj, Drake, and Ludacris to Robert Downey Jr., Dr. Dre, and Future. You typically see the wealthy and well-known hiding out in different high-end vehicles, however, over all different luxurious carmakers, Bentley has a viable declare to the superstar automobile of selection.

Whereas they’re good-looking standing symbols, so are all the opposite uber-expensive sports activities and luxurious vehicles on the market. So what’s it about Bentley that wins the hearts (and tons of of 1000’s of {dollars}) of all of our favourite artists?

With the brand new Bentayga Prolonged Wheelbase coming later this 12 months, we went to the Bentley manufacturing unit in Crewe, England, to search out out what all these celebrities are paying for.

Step inside a Bentley and also you’ll instantly need to contact every little thing. The leather-based is sourced completely from bulls, which yield a thicker conceal than cows (with none stretching from being pregnant). The bull conceal isn’t too particular (you should buy bull leather-based belts on Amazon), however Bentley’s meticulous choice and inspection processes are particular: After receiving the leather-based solely from North European bulls, consultants examine for blemishes or bug bites. Any imperfections and the leather-based is shipped to different producers.

For the dashboard, prospects can select from 1000’s of fabric combos, together with uncommon woods sourced from all around the world and even an actual stone veneer. “Materials choice is an extremely advanced course of,” Bentley’s Head of Inside Structure, Darren Day, tells Rolling Stone. “Leather-based, woods, metals, and even stone parts have to mix an typically near-impossible set of talents with the intention to be included.” Apart from wanting excellent and abiding by Bentley’s strict eco-responsibility practices, Day says the supplies all have to be malleable by hand and proof against temperature fluctuation and solar publicity.

Combining all these parts — from the veneer materials to the leather-based colour to sewing and piping, in addition to the outside paint colour — is as much as the client. All informed, “there are actually billions of attainable methods to configure a Bentley,” Day says, “which means no two are ever the identical. That appeals to our prospects around the globe.”

However, for a small share of the Bentley clientele, the billions of attainable design configurations aren’t sufficient. Right here’s the place Bentley’s in-house coachbuilder, Mulliner, is available in. “The entire objective of Mulliner is to permit prospects who need to take the personalization of the product and the expertise to the subsequent stage,” Director of Mulliner & Motorsport at Bentley, Paul Williams, tells Rolling Stone.

And “subsequent stage” is perhaps an understatement. “You get some loopy requests,” Williams says. “One among our favourite ones was a buyer who arrived with a salt and pepper shaker, and so they wished the inside of the automobile to match the salt and pepper shaker.” In fact, Williams and the Mulliner group delivered — after creating a wholly new means of growing paint to match the patina of the client’s kitchenware.

Williams factors out that the hyper-personalization provided by Mulliner is one other draw for celebrities: “We get plenty of superstar prospects,” he says. Mulliner (and Bentley at giant) are very protecting of purchasers’ privateness, to allow them to’t inform us any names. “I feel one factor that [celebrities] love about working with us is that you would be able to be a bit of bit extra discreet and you are able to do stuff with Mulliner that’s a bit particular. We will provide them time, we are able to ship folks to you, as effectively.”

One other element you’ll discover in Bentley cockpits is that know-how is comparatively hidden. There’s a revolving display screen nestled within the veneer dashboard, which the motive force can select to work together with utilizing contact controls or analog buttons. “The selection stays within the driver’s arms how a lot or little she or he needs to interact at any time,” Day says. “We consider in an ideal mix, with out compromise of digital and analog.”

As audiophiles, a spotlight of the Bentley expertise is the optionally available Naim for Bentley sound system (a probable promoting level for Bentley’s many musician prospects). On the 2023 Bentayga SUV, the Naim system encompasses a whopping 20 audio system powered by a 1780-watt, 20-channel amplifier, and can set you again an extra $8,970.

Fortunately, you will get a style of Naim’s high quality with out shopping for the Bentley: Try this Naim for Bentley Mu-so music system. It’s an all-in-one, high-resolution audio system with a Bentley-inspired design that’s meant to your house.

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Bentley is perhaps recognized for cloudlike consolation, however efficiency is equally necessary. “With Bentley, you’ll be able to have Ferrari efficiency, however in a correct luxury-type of automobile,” Williams says. The Bentayga Pace, for instance, weighs 5,542 kilos and has an optionally available third row of seats, however claims a 0-60 acceleration in simply 3.8 seconds due to a W12 engine placing out 626 horsepower. (Try a assessment of the primary Bentley Bentayga in The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime).

Mix all this — the uncommon supplies, the efficiency, the mix of tech and analog beauty, and the insane customizability — and also you begin to perceive why so many celebrities go for a Bentley. “I personally consider that for this kind of a market, it’s typically round your automobile as a method of reflecting a bit of bit what your persona is, or the persona you’d wish to put up there,” Williams says. “As folks see our vehicles and as we develop their look and the colours and how one can actually personalize, that appeals to folks and it permits them to precise their persona by means of what they select to drive.”

Bentley’s newest is the Bentayga Prolonged Wheelbase — an extended, much more luxurious model of the model’s best-selling SUV — launching later this 12 months. Seven inches are added between the axles, translating to considerably extra legroom.

The EWB additionally will get an Airline Seat choice, which turns the rear seats into first-class thrones able to reclining as much as 40 levels. As soon as the EWBs are on the highway, we received’t be shocked to catch Drake, Rihanna, or another A-lister napping within the again.