Tweed is an interior trim option that was pretty popular on older European cars, but it was never looked at as a particularly luxurious option. We’ve seen it in VW Golfs and even some older Benz vehicles. Now though, Bentley Mulliner will allow customers to customise a Flying Spur, Continental GT or Bentayga in tweed.
Four unique tweed patterns and finishes are offered: Cheltenham in green, Glen Plaid–Tolsta Beach with its bold check pattern, Charcoal for dark interiors and Sand Herringbone for light interiors. The tweed material is sustainably sourced.
Bentley have offered tweed in other places before, such as on the interior of the Mulliner Bacalar as well as the hood of the Continental GT Convertible.
Here’s the press release with more.
PRESS RELEASE
Bentley Mulliner – Bentley’s bespoke commissioning division – is now offering an elegant and sophisticated door trim option in tweed for the Flying Spur, Continental GT and Bentayga, providing customers with even greater choice when specifying their new vehicle.
For admirers of authentic British heritage and those passionate about the use of sustainable materials, the four contemporary tweed patterns add a new, high quality texture to the near-limitless range of customisation options showcased in the Mulliner Personal Commissioning Guide.
The introduction of tweed as an option for the complete product range gives customers the opportunity to specify an even more unique finish for their vehicle’s interior. The tactile woven wool finish to the doors transforms the energy of the cabin into a robust yet tranquil environment.
Selected to complement the interior design, and natural colour harmony with many of the leather hides already throughout the cabin, four different tweeds are initially available.
Cheltenham, with its countryside greens, offers a more traditional choice for customers whereas Glen Plaid–Tolsta Beach, named after the shores of the rugged Outer Hebrides, makes a confident statement with its bold check pattern. Providing a more subtle, contemporary choice, the Charcoal and Sand Herringbone tweeds complement dark and light interiors respectively on the two-door and four-door Grand Tourers.
Sustainably Sourced Materials
The introduction of tweed to the list of personalisation options continues Bentley’s progress towards the greater use of sustainable materials in the production of its luxury vehicles. This is in line with the recently announced Beyond100 strategy, which outlined plans for the company to become a global leader in sustainable luxury mobility.
This focus was clearly hinted at in 2019, the brand’s centenary year, by the all-electric EXP 100 concept car, which featured an array of sustainable materials. These included 5,000-year-old copper-infused Riverwood, traditionally produced wool carpets and a leather-like textile upholstery made from a bi-product of wine-making. Bentley will continue to use only sustainably sourced materials throughout its current and next generation of cars.
The tweed being used by Bentley in its Grand Tourers is sourced from the globally reputed Lovat Mill. Located in the picturesque Scottish Borders town of Hawick, the mill goes to extraordinary lengths to ensure that its tweeds are produced in the most ethical and environmentally friendly ways.
Lovat Mill operates a “dry” production facility with absolutely no adverse impact on the local natural environment. There are no hazardous industrial chemicals (such as AZO dye) used on site and they weave on “environmentally aware” versatile rapier looms. Furthermore, with 90 percent of local electricity consumption coming from renewable sources, negligible emissions and the local highly skilled workforce living mostly within easy walking distance of the facility, the mill is able to minimise its carbon footprint.
Personal Commissioning Guide From Bentley Mulliner
The new tweed options available will be showcased in Mulliner’s latest version of the Personal Commissioning Guide – a comprehensive display of its personalisation capabilities.
Covering the vast array of ways in which Mulliner’s talented craftspeople can fashion the most individual Bentleys, the guide has been created to inspire customers as they develop their own personal designs, while leveraging the experience already gained from previous commissions.
Whereas in the past, customers may have approached Mulliner with specific personalisation requests, they are now able to review the Personal Commissioning Guide and work with their Bentley sales person to identify which of Mulliner’s capabilities they would like to utilise and how best to do so. By referring to the guide and leveraging the existing skillset of the team, the customer benefits from a shorter lead time than if they requested a customisation option from outside of the guide.
As well as featuring the new tweed options alongside other personalisation capabilities, such as headrest embroidery and marquetry, the updated edition of the Personal Commissioning Guide includes endless possibilities for the Flying Spur, Continental GT and GT Convertible. In total, the guide contains a significant number of elements of the car that can be personalised with over 70 options to choose from, meaning the level of available customisation is truly unlimited.
Use of Tweeds
While the tweed fabrics offer a new choice for customers, it is not the first time that tweed has been incorporated into Bentley designs. In collaboration with Savile Row tailors, Huntsman, Mulliner created the ‘Sportsman’ Bentayga, utilising the Peck 62 tweed on the passenger and driver fascias. In the Continental GT Equestrian Edition, Mulliner used distinctive diamond quilted tweed fabrics for the door inlays and rear quarter panels.
Last year, Bentley became the first manufacturer to offer a tweed effect hood with the Continental GT Convertible enhancing personalisation as part of a suite of paint, veneer and lifestyle options for the soft-top model.
More recently, with the unveiling of the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar – the most bespoke Bentley ever made – tweed once again played an important role.
The original Bacalar unveiled earlier in 2020, incorporated grey tweed to the sides of the centre console, flowing across the instrument panel and continuing into the door interiors; surrounding each occupant with a selection of materials and textures. The theme continued with a tweed detailing on the seats and also featured as part of the bespoke luggage set.
