In a world of gigafactories, Bentley’s 15,000-unit capacity plant in Crewe, UK feels like an anomaly. But we learn that every car made there is a labour of love.
Published on Aug 04, 2024 08:30:00 AM
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Your typical car plant bustles with activity, metamorphosing raw materials into finished products over an intricate process involving heavy machinery, a synchronised dance of robots, and, of course, lots of manpower. Daily output is in the hundreds, and for some carmakers, it’s in the thousands. I almost see an alternate reality at Bentley’s plant in Crewe, UK. There are no welding sparks flying around (the car bodies are made in Germany); there’re all of two robots (Romeo and Juliet, as they’ve been christened, which apply the adhesive around the windscreen); and, on the busiest of days, less than 80 cars will roll off the production line.
On the agenda was a look at the ‘arts and crafts’ side of Bentley production. The making of the elements that lend a Bentley its warmth, elegance and exclusivity. Our first port of call was the leather station, where we gathered interesting tidbits of information. For instance, Bentley only uses bull hide sourced from high-altitude ranches in the Scandinavian region. The altitude is critical because it minimises the likelihood of mosquito bites and hence keeps imperfections to a minimum. Leatherworkers mark out usable portions, which are then precisely cut by laser. Also, in a Bentley, if it looks like leather, it is. The reason why a Bentayga EWB needs up to 17 hides.
It was fascinating to watch how the army of embroiderers breathed life into the leather. Except for the optional winged Bentley insignia on the headrests, for which a machine is used, virtually all other stitching is done by hand. Many of the artisans are decades into the job and can identify a part they’ve worked on by merely looking at it. Funnily enough, a humble table fork is used to mark the stitch points on the steering!
You can’t talk Bentley and not talk wood. We were led into the humidity-controlled veneer storeroom that’s home to wood from all over the world. The wood in the room alone was worth as much as a Bentley or two, but that’s beside the point. It’s an eclectic collection of oak, walnut, maple, and much more, all from trees that have naturally fallen and not been felled. It’s the patterns that give each type of wood its personality, we’re told, so think hard before signing off on a plain piano black finish.
Wood isn’t your thing? There’s carbon fibre and machined surfacing, too. Or you could even opt for a stone-look finish. Interestingly, the stones used to make the surface sheets come from India.
We didn’t see the paint shop in action, but ‘man maximum, machine minimum’ seems to be the philosophy there, too. Each car is hand sprayed and it usually takes a team of technicians 12 hours to polish the surface (with lambswool, no less) to final mirror-like glory. Oh, and should none of the 88 standard colours on the palette do it for you, Bentley will create one for you. Digital colour matching has seemingly unlocked buyer’s imaginations. A car finished in a lustrous red to match a rare nail polish is one of many examples we’re given. The crew at Crewe have seen and delivered it all.
Notably, custom body colour is a typical entry point for Mulliner, Bentley’s personal commissioning division. Buyers start with exterior paint and, more often than not, find themselves discussing the minutiae of interior personalisations. From selecting the colour and pattern of the stitching on the seats to details like custom wood inlays rendered in mother of pearl, the world of Mulliner is your oyster. We saw illustrations of a very pink Bentayga with a bright but tasteful interior for a customer in Beverly Hills, USA. Your wish is Bentley’s command—for a huge price, of course.
There are guidelines that must be adhered to, though. You can’t alter the Bentley logo, and materials that could compromise the operation of safety systems are a strict no-no. Requests for crocodile leather are turned down, for instance. For more comprehensive projects, Mulliner’s designers help develop customisations with buyers, and the process can take weeks. An in-person meet at Crewe is the preferred mode, but you could sign off on your personalised Bentley over a Zoom call, too, should pesky multi-million dollar deals need your attention elsewhere.
Demand for Mulliner customisations has grown over the years and is reflective of a growing desire for exclusivity at the very top tier of the automotive world. Having seen the possibilities firsthand, I’ve worked out the specs of my dream Continental GT. It’d be finished in the colours of the Indian team with cricket ball red leather on the inside, thank you very much.
To the good folks at Mulliner, hope to see you in a few years!
Believe it or not, the Bentley Speed 6 Blower pictured here was made in 2021! It is a part of Mulliner’s Continuation Series, a programme of authentic recreation of some of Bentley’s icons. An original Blower was stripped down and its parts scanned to create a digital model. Bentley engineers then used 1920s moulds and tooling jigs to create parts for the 12 Blower Continuations that are already spoken for.
Save for safety upgrades to the fuel lines, the cars are true to the original in every which way—including the supercharged, 4,398cc four-cylinder engine. The Continuation series cars are not road-legal. In meticulous assembly at the moment is a batch of 12 Speed Sixes, modelled on the car that won the 1930 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Region-specific specials are big at Bentley, and what you see here are the first Mulliner Bespoke Edition cars for India. Called the Opulence Edition, the offerings included a Flying Spur, a Continental GT Speed and three Bentayga EWBs. Their Scarab Green exterior finish and Mandarin Orange main interior hide are a tribute to the tri-colours on India’s flag. Also set on to the fascia are a chrome motif of mountains representing the Himalayas and three running horses, symbolising growth and prosperity. The Bentayga EWB Opulence Edition is made only in a 4-seater configuration. Price? Well, if you need to ask...
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