At this year's Beijing auto show, Bentley's stand is all about luxury, craftsmanship and bespoke customization. And nowhere is this more evident than in the Mulsanne First Edition.
Making its global debut on Monday, the handcrafted car, which will be offered in three body shapes - standard, speed, and Extended Wheelbase, production will be strictly limited to 50 examples.
By definition, the Mulsanne is already a luxury car so for the First Edition, Bentley is pulling out every bespoke stop. So the picnic tables integrated into the rear of the front seats that usually drop down to take the weight of a table or computer feature an integrated sterling silver vanity kit instead. Created for the car by Asprey of London, the set includes a mirror, hairbrush and a comb and each is carefully weighted like a professional chef's knife.
The ‘Flying B' emblem that adorns all flagship Bentleys gets a unique engraving while throughout each car there are First Edition motifs, either embroidered on the leather or inlaid within the wood.
However, somewhat surprisingly, on the Mulsanne and Mulsanne Speed First Editions, the integrated rear champagne cooler is an option.
The Extended Wheelbase model ups the exclusivity ante. Its cabin boasts a Fulbeck veneer sourced from a 350-year-old walnut tree. One of the most expensive, rare and sought-after woods, the tree in question fetched a record (undisclosed) fee at auction and Bentley only managed to secure enough of it to adorn its flagship flagship. The other first edition Mulsannes have to "make do" with antique Ash veneer.
In a nod to modernity, the Extended Wheelbase Mulsanne comes with two Bentley 10.2-inch tablets for the rear-seat passengers. They run Android but with a Bentley interface overlaid and have been set up for multimedia communication and consumption. Content can be streamed to the car's audio system and the devices can be taken from the car and used at home or in the office.
Wolfgang Dürheimer, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors, said: "The Mulsanne is the epitome of Bentley's DNA -- exquisite, individual and powerful. It defines luxury in the automotive world and offers the unique Bentley blend of luxury and performance."
