Bentley Magazine Issue 61 Summer 2017

BENTLEY

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BENTLEY MAGAZINE

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES
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EDITORIAL
Wolfgang Dürheimer

Welcome I recently had the pleasure of unveiling a ground-breaking and distinctive
Bentley, the EXP 12 6e, shown at the Geneva and Shanghai motor shows.
Once again we are pushing the boundaries of luxury performance, this time in the form of a stunning
convertible concept powered by electricity.

Electric motors develop peak torque from zero rpm, so the effortless surge of power that’s so much a part
of the Bentley experience is assured. So too is the refinement that makes a Bentley the perfect choice for
long-distance drives. How and when the electric infrastructure will fully develop is unknown. Meanwhile, we
know the internal combustion engine still has a long life ahead. So does the PHEV plug-in hybrid, which we’re
also evaluating. Thus the EXP 12 6e is a three-way exploration – of design, technology and customers’ responses.

In this issue, we celebrate others who push the boundaries. Like Bentley owner Kristian Groth, featured
on page 44, whose Leith Society unites high achievers from all disciplines. Or Momentum Adventure,
which will take you to the great outdoors for an experience like no other. You can read about its founder
Matthew Robertson’s vision on page 56.

In their own way, my colleagues at Crewe push the boundaries every day. On page 30 you can see what
happens when the craftsmen and women of Mulliner extend the parameters of luxury with the new
Hallmark Series Mulsannes. And on page 94 you can read how Dr Helen Davock, head of the Bentley Lab,
stresses components and materials to the limits of endurance.

So whatever adventures you have in mind for your Bentley, you can rest assured it will be up to the challenge.

Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors

BENTLEY MAGAZINE 5

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Contents

PUSHING THE
BOUNDARIES

CALLING THE SHOTS
Our resident man about town Nick Foulkes
takes a hesitant step outside his comfort zone
Page 29
FLYING HIGH
Groundbreaking photography captures
the Flying Spur W12 S in Dubai
Page 40
THE OUTER LIMITS
Jonathan Thompson joins adventurer
Matthew Robertson and a Bentayga on a
journey across the wilds of Scotland
Page 56

EXCELLENCE

NOBLE METAL
Two elements find their perfect setting
in the new Mulsanne Hallmark Series by
Mulliner, discovers Edwina Ings-Chambers
Page 30

PLAY TIME
Off-road adventures
on Scottish shores in
Bentayga, Bentley‘s

luxury off-roader
Page 56

CONTENTS
Issue 61

70 20

also in this issue

50 STYLE EXPERIENCE

78 SHAPING THE FUTURE ROAD TO FULFILMENT
The Bentley design team respects the Julia Marozzi meets a Bentley owner
12 BENTLEY MAGAZINE past without being constrained by it,
says Nick Swallow with a resolute philosophy to life
Page 36 Page 44

SHADES OF CHIC SPIRIT OF ENTERPRISE
A range of timeless sunglasses in Entrepreneur William Chase and son
precious metals, inspired by Bentley James recommend their favourite things
Page 50
Page 78
CROWNING GLORY
Nick Scott on how Bentley is at the heart TEMPLES, TRUNKS
of the summer season of racing AND TRANQUILITY
Page 66 Alix O’Neill discovers Sri Lanka, an
island that surpasses all expectations
POWER
Page 82
FURY ROAD
The Continental Supersports makes a REGULARS
powerful impact on road and track,
discovers Simon de Burton Welcome Page 5
Page 20 Contributors Page 14

TEAM DREAMS Agenda Page 18
Ed Foster talks to the people helping to Bentley World Page 89
drive Bentley Motorsport to success Behind the Scenes Page 94
Page 70
BENTLEY Dylan Thomas; Stuart Price; Previous page: Uli Weber
PAST GLORIES, FUTURE SUCCESS
Past meets present at this year’s B
Goodwood Festival of Speed, says BENTLEY MAGAZINE
Giles Chapman
Page 76

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES
BE EXTRAORDINARY

COVER

The Outer Limits (page 56)
Photography: Uli Weber



CONTRIBUTORS
Issue 61

EDWINA INGS-CHAMBERS ULI WEBER Bentley Magazine is the official magazine for owners, enthusiasts, supporters and
Edwina began in luxury and Always in search of the next friends of Bentley Motors Limited. Bentley Magazine is published quarterly by Seven
lifestyle journalism 20 years ago at challenge, photographer Uli has (seven.co.uk) on behalf of Bentley Motors Limited, Pyms Lane, Crewe, Cheshire CW1 3PL,
FT Weekend on How To Spend It. parachuted onto the North Pole, UK. bentleymotors.com Email: [email protected]
She moved to The Sunday Times trekked the red dunes of Namibia
Style magazine before setting and directed a fashion shoot in BENTLEY OFFICES WORLDWIDE
up as a freelance writer and the forests of Madagascar. In this
consultant. She looks at the issue, he travels to the wilds of China: Bentley China, Volkswagen Group Centre IFC, A-8 JianGuoMenWai Avenue,
power of the hallmark with the Scotland to photograph Matthew Chaoyang District, Beijing, China. T: +86 400 890 6668
launch of the limited edition Robertson (pages 56 to 63). His Dubai: Bentley Motors UAE AVME, Dubai Airport Freezone, East Wing, Building 4E/A,
Mulsanne Hallmark Series by work has appeared in Vogue, 8th Floor, PO Box 27758, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. T: +971 4 2936 970
Elle and The Sunday Times. Europe: Bentley Motors Europe, Sky Gate, Mietbereich 2, Zeppelinstrasse 1-3,
Mulliner (pages 30 to 34). 85399 Hallbergmoos, Germany. T: +49 89 856349921
JONATHAN THOMPSON Japan: Bentley Motors Japan, 18F Gotenyama Trust Tower, 4-7-35 Kita-Shinagawa,
SARAH HANSON From abseiling off sea cliffs to Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo. 140-0001. T: +81 (0)355 75 73 48
Collage illustrator Sarah has off-roading through the glens, Korea: Bentley Motors Korea, 3F Shinyoung Building, 88-5 Cheongdamdong,
worked for clients in the worlds of Jonathan spent three days Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea 135-100. T: +82 (0) 2 6009 9501
editorial, advertising, publishing exploring the Scottish Highlands Mexico: Bentley de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Km. 116 Autopista, Mexico-Puebla,
and design. Her work has also with Matthew Robertson for Cuautlancingo, Pue. 72700, Mexico. T: +52 (222) 230-6757
been animated for interactive use our Bentayga cover story (pages Americas and Caribbean: Bentley Motors, Inc., 2003 Edmund Halley Dr, Suite 300,
and online videos for Nike and 56 to 63). A recent British Travel Reston, VA 20191, USA. T: +1 703 364 7990
BBC Worldwide. In this issue, Writer of the Year (2015), his work Russia: Bentley Motors Russia, Volkswagen Group Russia, Obrucheva St,
she has created an illustration appears in Condé Nast Traveller, 30/1, 117485 Moscow, Russia. T: +7 495 258 3901
to accompany our story about Tatler, The Sunday Times, Esquire Singapore: Bentley Motors Singapore, A Division of Audi Singapore Pte Ltd,
Bentley‘s design team and its and The Daily Telegraph. 8 Kallang Avenue, Aperia Tower 1, #80-01 to 09, Singapore 339509. T: + 65 6718 6000
inspirations (pages 36 to 38). UK: Bentley Motors Limited, Pyms Lane, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 3PL, UK. T: +44 (0)1270 255 155
ULRIK JANTZEN
14 BENTLEY MAGAZINE Ulrik is based in Copenhagen and EDITORIAL TEAM
has worked as a photographer for
the past 15 years. His favourite FOR BENTLEY MOTORS LIMITED
subject is shooting beautiful PUBLISHER AND HEAD OF BRAND COMMUNICATIONS Graeme Russell
cars. It explains why he enjoyed EDITOR AND HEAD OF LIFESTYLE COMMUNICATIONS Julia Marozzi
his latest commission so much, PROJECT MANAGEMENT Rochelle Macdonald
photographing the founder of
the exclusive Leith Society with FOR SEVEN
his Continental GT W12 Speed BUSINESS DIRECTOR Lee Sanderson
Convertible (pages 50 to 54). ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Nathan Eaton-Baudains
ACCOUNT MANAGER Andrew Moss
MANAGING EDITOR Claire Hutchings
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sam Chick
ART EDITOR Brigitta Holmár
EDITOR AT LARGE Nick Swallow
SENIOR SUB EDITOR Ian Johns

WRITERS & CONTRIBUTORS
Simon de Burton, Giles Chapman, Lesley Evans, Ed Foster, Nick Foulkes,
Edwina Ings-Chambers, Matthew Jones, Julia Marozzi, Alix O’Neill, Julia Pearey,
Nick Scott, Nick Swallow, Jonathan Thompson

PHOTOGRAPHY & ILLUSTRATION
Roger Bool, Sam Chick, Mark Fagelson, Chris Freer, James Gasperotti, Sean Gleason,
Sarah Hanson, Ulrik Jantzen, Gary Parravani, Stuart Price, Julian Rentzsch, Dylan Thomas,
Uli Weber

PREPRINT PRODUCTION
Rhapsody Media

PRINT
Taylor Bloxham

STOCKISTS

Bentley Collection is available through authorised retailers, or visit bentleycollection.com

With thanks to these suppliers for Objects of Desire (pages 86 to 87): Austin Eszcori
austineszcori.com, Bremont bremont.com, The Chedi Penthouses andermatt-swissalps.ch,
Dom Perignon domperignon.com, Zetta Jet zettajet.com

Also a big thank-you to Patrick Sinclair and the team at Ackergill Tower.

Travel prize courtesy of Resplendent Ceylon resplendentceylon.com

Although there are too many to name individually, our sincerest thanks and
appreciation go to all who have contributed to Bentley Magazine.
To our readers: we hope you enjoy this issue of Bentley Magazine.

While every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate,
neither the publisher nor Bentley Motors Limited, nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliated
companies, can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage
caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. All
rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise – without prior written permission of the publisher. All material has been
published in good faith as having been supplied for publication. Information correct at
time of going to press. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or Bentley
Motors Limited. Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders of material used
in this publication. If any copyright holder has been overlooked, we would be pleased to
make any necessary arrangements. Bentley Motors Limited does not officially endorse any
advertising material or editorials for third-party products included within this publication.
Care is taken to ensure that advertisers follow advertising codes of practice and are of good
standing, but neither the publisher nor Bentley Motors Limited can be held responsible
for any errors. Non-credited images are © Bentley Motors Limited. The names ‘Bentley’,
‘Arnage’, ‘Azure’, ‘Bentayga’, ‘Continental GT’, ‘Flying Spur’, ‘Mulliner’, ‘Mulsanne’, the ‘B-in-
wings’ device and product names are registered trademarks.

Bentley Motors Limited, VAT number GB 279230739, registered in England under number 992897.

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Orchestra, 18K Rose Gold

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POWER
Continental Supersports

FIRST IN LINE
This group of UK

customers were
among the first to
test-drive the car

CONTINENTAL SUPERSPORTS ◀ “The Continental Supersports is a pleasure Roger Bool
to drive. It is so smooth on take-off and the
First drives acceleration is fantastic – you just put your
foot down and it takes off. Its handling is
A group of UK customers and their really impressive, too. My wife said that
partners were the first drivers in the world I had the biggest smile on my face when
to take the all-new limited edition I got out of the car. She said I looked
Continental Supersports out on the road, like a boy who had got all the chocolate.
enjoying the beautiful landscape of I’ve now been up to Crewe to see my
Portugal as a backdrop. Continental Supersports on the production
line. It’s what makes owning a Bentley so
From the moment guests were whisked different, so personal. You can be part of
off in a chauffeur-driven Flying Spur from your car’s creation.”
Lisbon Airport to their luxury hotel – Arthur Bryant, Hertfordshire
located among rolling hills, lush gardens
and tranquil mountain lakes – this was set ▶ “The experience was driving heaven. There
to be an unforgettable experience. With were quiet roads, an interesting route and,
time to relax and enjoy their surroundings of course, the Continental Supersports.
on the first evening, guests could look I loved the new Bentley’s delivery of power –
forward to a full day of driving the it is immediate and you feel so involved.
following morning. The car is quicker, the suspension and
handling tighter, particularly around corners,
“We carefully planned a 190-mile and the interior luxurious with a sporting
(306 km) round driving route for guests edge. The sound of the titanium exhaust
to experience the Continental Supersports is awesome, too.”
on all sorts of roads, from motorways to Carl Belle, London
winding country roads, with a stop-off at
a wonderful vineyard,” explains Mark ◀ “The power is composed, but relentless.
Ballance, Retailer Marketing Manager at As you push the throttle further, there is
Bentley. “One of the highlights was no sense that the car is ever going to let up.
driving across the 10.7-mile (17.2 km) It pushes on tenaciously regardless of what
Vasco da Gama Bridge across the Tagus the road throws up at it. I wanted to go
river in Lisbon.” faster and faster. As owners of a Mulsanne
Speed, a Continental GT V8 S, a Bentayga
Bentley’s guest drivers were thrilled and a Flying Spur V8, we resolutely said
with the opportunity to test-drive the new we weren’t going to buy a Continental
Continental Supersports and experience Supersports. But it simply turned our
its phenomenal power, handling and heads. We cancelled the order we had on
speed. “Two of the guests have already another supercar and we’ve just put down
put down a deposit and are due to visit a deposit for a Continental Supersports.”
Crewe to commission their Continental Will and Emma Whinfrey, Bath
Supersports shortly,” says Mark. “Another
guest has visited Crewe to see his car
being built.”

26 BENTLEY MAGAZINE





PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES
Column

Calling
the shots
He’s more flâneur than fighter, but our resident
man about town takes a hesitant step outside his
comfort zone – and enjoys the result

WORDS: NICK FOULKES

Illustration: Julian Rentzsch There are those who believe And yet, much as I find it hard to admit, an outing the night before; a hearty
that boundaries are there I was enjoying the novelty of the thing, breakfast; a bit of standing around
to be pushed, exceeded the fresh air, the silence, the contact with wearing nice tweeds; a slap-up lunch; a bit
and overcome: for them nature and all that other stuff that I have more standing around; maybe a cigar…
there is nothing like the spent most of my life trying to avoid and then off home. When Franco said that
marathon won, the peak (when exposed to the great outdoors as a it might involve using a shotgun once or
scaled… I am not among their number. child, I used to tiptoe round the edge of twice, that is what I had in mind. And so,
Should anyone mention the word muddy puddles so that my wellies would unwittingly, I found myself not just
‘challenge’ within earshot and I draw the not get dirty). testing my boundaries, nor even pushing
curtains, take to my day bed for a couple them, but smashing through them.
of hours and try to calm my nerves. My presence among the Georgia pines
had come about because I was writing a Had you asked me to put on
So, it was with no little surprise that history of the firearms manufacturer camouflage gear and get into a punt at
I found myself on the back of a horse Beretta. Franco Beretta is a friend and four o’clock on a December morning to be
meandering through the telegraph ferried silently across a lagoon near
pole-like pines of a forest in the state of I have begun Venice, to what was in effect a large
Georgia, US. At a given signal, when a to see myself dustbin buried in the ground where I
dog went on ‘point’ and froze like a as a sort of would watch the sun rise and wait for
Bugatti bronze sculpture of itself pointing late-developing ducks to come in for breakfast, I would
towards some birds, I would dismount, Hemingway have point blank refused. Neither camo
pull a shotgun out of the scabbard slung nor early mornings have much of a place
from my saddle and advance through his family firm is almost 500 years old, in my life.
gorse and thorns sometimes waist high. so I agreed at once, envisaging cosy
Then, amid a flurry of feathers, a covey of afternoons in libraries and archives. And Had you said I would find myself
quail exploded into the air in front of me indeed, there was much of that – the state shooting dove in Argentina: a jeans and
and I tried to shoot one of them. Having archives of Venice could easily slot into a T-shirt-clad ‘bird boy’ (what in England
missed, I hauled myself back on the horse Dan Brown movie adaptation, and I would we call a loader) keeping me in cartridges
to repeat the process. be very happy to have the archive rooms with The Eagles as background music on
in the Vittoriale degli Italiani, the writer portable speakers, and then taking my
I had not ridden a horse for more than Gabriele D’Annunzio’s house overlooking afternoon nap in a hammock slung under
40 years. I am an indifferent shot. The the lake of Garda, as a holiday bolthole. some benevolent foliage to shade me from
thorns made indelible gouges on my boots the fierce South American sun, I would
and scratched my nubuck trousers. Then it Yet there was also rather a lot of field have giggled in disbelief.
started to rain. I don’t do rain. work, for which it is fair to say that I was
wholly unprepared. Shooting in England Yet all these things and more I did.
Had one suggested that I may like to is a ritualised activity that has not I have begun to see myself as a sort of
try my hand at pursuing tiny birds that changed much since the Downton days. late-developing Hemingway. And as
behaved as if they were tennis balls There is a chance to give the dinner jacket I deepen my connection with my inner
served by Roger Federer through scratchy man of action, I am giving serious
vegetation in rain, and complicate things consideration to selling the daybed…
by getting around on horseback, I would although I am not sure that it will
have probably collapsed. I tend to experience raise the necessary funds to invest in
physical symptoms if I don’t have tarmac a Bentayga specced by Mulliner to my
or paving stones beneath my feet. new outdoorsman standards.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE 29

Noble metal

Gold and silver have long been prized for their purity.
And in the new Mulsanne Hallmark Series by Mulliner,

these two elements find their perfect setting

WORDS: EDWINA INGS-CHAMBERS

30 BENTLEY MAGAZINE

GETTY EXCELLENCE
Mulsanne Hallmark Series by Mulliner

PERFECT HARMONY
Ready for every special
occasion, the new
Mulsanne complements
the sinuous Harbin
Opera House in China

BENTLEY MAGAZINE 31

EXCELLENCE
Mulsanne Hallmark Series by Mulliner

TRUE MARQUE OF DISTINCTION
Clockwise from left: every detail of the
Mulsanne Hallmark Series by Mulliner speaks
of exclusivity and craftsmanship, from the
front console lined in silver- or gold-coloured
hide, numbered stainless steel plaques, special
hallmarks on the mascot and seats trimmed in
contrasting leather to create a bespoke colour

W hen it comes to the dictionary definition of a S
hallmark – ‘a distinctive characteristic of
something or someone’ – the Bentley Mulsanne From there it was a logical hop, jump and a sketch to create 50
more than fits the description. It is as recognisable highly exclusive models featuring a Bentley-hallmarked silver or
as the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, the voice of actor 23.9-carat gold-plated Flying ‘B’ mascot, on the single or duo-tone
Morgan Freeman or the lyrics of a song by The Beatles. Its body, with a hand-painted fine line in silver or gold paint
graceful lines and curves are as much a part of our modern running along its length.
visual lexicon of the outstanding and stylish as such trailblazing
designs as the pleats of a Fortuny dress or the minimalist lines Inside the Mulsanne Hallmark Series by Mulliner, there are
of a Le Corbusier building – all instantly identifiable and other exquisite design features. The door waistrails have silver or
transcending time. As the French writer André Maurois once gold-plated inlays, there is silver or gold embroidery and piping
lyrically put it: “Style is the hallmark of a temperament stamped throughout, while metallic silver or gold hide lines the Hidden
on the material at hand.” Delights storage places, including the glove compartment. Front
and rear seats are trimmed in contrasting leather to create a
So the Mulsanne Hallmark Series by Mulliner, the latest bespoke colour split, with leather cushions in the rear matched to
limited edition Mulsanne series from Bentley’s personal the main hide colour. A hand-painted veneer, complementing the
commissioning division, is aptly named. It epitomises the second hide colour, is overlaid with a ‘Mulliner’ inscription in
commitment at the very heart of Bentley to be a hallmark of either silver or gold. llluminated treadplates bearing the word
British creativity and engineering, of motoring excellence, stylish ‘Hallmark’ and stainless steel plaques engraved with ‘1 of 50’,
endeavour and exciting innovation. emphasising its exclusivity, complete the interior look.

There is, of course, another meaning of hallmark: an official
stamp denoting the purity of a precious metal: gold, silver,
platinum and palladium. It’s a physical impression that
represents the finest, the most valuable, the ultimate spoils; it’s a
calling card of the luxury jeweller. It has royal connections, too.

Evidence of early forms of hallmarking date back to the fourth
century AD, but in England it was King Edward I who, in 1300,
required by statute that all silver particles must meet with a
required standard and a regulated procedure was established.
For centuries since then, hallmarking has denoted the
quality of material in the same way you might trust a brand
name to deliver a quality of product, sound or innovation. It
also so happens that when the creative team at Mulliner was
devising the theme for their new limited edition series across
the Mulsanne range – Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase,
Mulsanne Speed and Mulsanne – someone recalled that
Bentley had its very own hallmark, one that was registered
in Sheffield, England, in 2005.

32 BENTLEY MAGAZINE









OUT OF THE PAST
Stefan Sielaff
(pictured) interprets
BentleyÕs distinctive
design heritage with
each new model

Car designers come to work every day Bentley’s DNA,” says Stefan. “They’ll vary new platform to work with and this gives
and clock in five years into the future. from model to model, but you will always us greater design freedom.”
They are always developing the next see them. And here’s another thing: on a
model or even the one after next. Bentley the overhang ahead of the front Bentley customers can be assured
And with Bentley there’s a special wheel is short, while the distance between that this design freedom won’t result in
responsibility, for every car is built to the driver’s foot and the front axle is long. an origami-like confusion of lines,
last. The Continental GT, Flying Spur, That’s how you know there’s a powerful creases and swages, which is currently in
Bentayga and Mulsanne are part of an engine under the bonnet.” vogue with certain marques. “A Bentley’s
unbroken line of fast, powerful and design is never overloaded, it’s calm,”
luxurious cars dating back to 1921. Each So the next Continental GT will be points out Stefan. “For example, we use
new Bentley has to move the game on, yet an evolution of its predecessors? “An superforming on some panels, despite
be an evolution of what came before. evolution, yes, but there will be no doubt the cost and effort, because it gives us
that this is a new Bentley. Perhaps the a precise crease like a Savile Row suit.
So what makes a Bentley? Stefan pulls evolution between 2003 and 2011 [the first A smooth panel with no ugly shutlines
two profiles from his portfolio case and and second generation Continental GT] also tells you that this is a luxury product.
puts them side by side: the 1952 R Type was a little too subtle. The new one will We aim for clean, classic lines… a Bentley
Continental created by John Polwhele be more of a forward step. We also have a car should excite you every time you
Blatchley and the modern-day Continental
GT. His finger traces the powerline that Each new Bentley model has to move
rises around the front wheel, tapers down the game on, yet it must also be an
towards the rear, then kicks up over the evolution of what came before
powerful haunch of the rear wheel arch.

“The powerline and the haunch – those
two elements are deeply embedded in

BENTLEY MAGAZINE 37

STYLE
Design

FREE THINKING
The clean, classic lines
created by Bentley’s
design team are
inspired by everything
from aeronautics and
architecture to
bespoke tailoring

open the garage door, not just the first “How do you present driver information
time you see it in the showroom.” digitally, yet in a way that is distinctly
Bentley?... It,s a difficult balance”
Another inspiration is Woolf Barnato’s
‘Blue Train’ Speed Six coupé from 1928, The next generation of Bentleys will still The notion of car designer as architect
created by coachbuilders Gurney Nutting. have four round headlamps, but lighting recalls French essayist Roland Barthes: “I
“This is so extreme that it’s almost technology is evolving all the time, giving think that cars today are almost the exact
cartoonish. See that immensely long designers greater freedom. Maybe the equivalent of the great Gothic cathedrals;
bonnet, the compressed roofline? But we inspiration of that cut-glass crystal will I mean the supreme creation of an era,
keep a sense of that in the Continental GT; translate into a new headlight? The conceived with passion by unknown artists
a Bentley coupé is an intimate space.” question hangs in the air. Stefan Sielaff and consumed in image if not in usage by
smiles; he knows, but he’s not telling. a whole population, which appropriates
Within that space, there are distinctive them as a purely magical object.”
Bentley design cues. “The dominant Other inspirations? “We look at
centre console, the symmetrical ‘wings’ on architecture. Like Frank Gehry’s Stefan Sielaff and his team are hardly
the driver and passenger side of the Guggenheim in Bilbao, for instance… the ‘unknown’ artists, but the next Bentley
dashboard – these are consistent, but we play of light on convex and concave metal. Continental GT will be the result of “time
interpret them according to the model. In Cars are similar to buildings in one way: and love and hot blood” as he puts it. For
the Flying Spur, the effect is elegant with they are both seen in the open air, so you that reason we can rest assured that the
the dashboard smoothly extending into see them in changing light and weather. next Bentley, and every subsequent one,
the waistrails. For the Continental GT, Also, they both have to endure.” will always be a purely magical object.
it’s more driver-focused.”

Today, we live in a digital world of
touchscreens and smartphones. Yet we
change smartphones yearly; cars have a
longer life. For this reason, the human-
machine interface is one of the biggest
challenges Bentley’s interior designers
face. “How do you present driver
information digitally, yet in a way that’s
distinctively Bentley?” asks Stefan. “Do
you create an analogue environment that
turns its back on technology? Or embrace
the digital world and risk alienating
traditional tastes? It’s a difficult balance.”

Where that balance has been struck
will be demonstrated when the new
Continental GT makes its debut. For now
Bentley’s Design Director will only say:
”At Bentley, we must always look forward,
but we do things our way; very sporty,
very elegant. And always using beautiful,
tactile materials.”

The team is encouraged to look outside
car design for inspiration. “We’re
interested in the precious detail, the way
it says luxury. For example, you could
drink a rare single malt whisky out of a
plastic cup. But when you serve it in a
cut-glass crystal tumbler, that’s a different
experience: the way the light catches the
facets, the weight in your hand. It feels
special even before you take a sip.”

38 BENTLEY MAGAZINE

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ZOOM WITH A VIEW
This stunning picture
allows you to survey the
Dubai cityscape and
zoom in to appreciate
the fine detail of the
Flying Spur W12 S

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES
Flying Spur W12 S

Flying

HIGH

Groundbreaking photography captures
the attitude and dynamism of the new

Flying Spur W12 S in one of the
world’s most exciting cities

WORDS: SEVEN

A s every Bentley owner knows, nothing but perfection
will do. That’s why Bentley has constantly pushed
the limits, building remarkable cars that attain new
heights of power, performance and craftsmanship.
So it was only natural for Bentley to use exacting standards to
achieve another exceptional feat: capturing one of the most
detailed landscape images in the world.

This remarkable interactive photograph of the Dubai cityscape
was taken from a camera suspended 264 metres (866 feet) high
on the 73rd storey of one of the city’s tallest buildings. Using
technology NASA employed to photograph the surface of Mars,
the picture is composed of 1,825 individual images with an
astonishing 57.7 billion pixels of detail.

At first glance, you see a high-definition panorama of the
world’s fastest growing city, but look closer and you discover the
heart of the photograph – the new Flying Spur W12 S. Zoom in
past the imposing skyscrapers down to the water’s edge and you
will be taken in pin-sharp focus to Bentley’s new luxury sedan
parked in the marina. You will even be able to view the badge on
its bonnet. Then zoom out and explore the captivating city, from
the waterside cafés and restaurants to the towering apartments.
As you pan around the picture, you can clearly make out the
ropes on the boats and the plants on the balconies.

The level of detail is extraordinary – and that’s the point.
For this intricate photograph is a celebration of the painstaking
precision that sets Bentley apart from other automotive makers,
transporting the viewer from the epic world of panorama
pictures to the intricate world of Bentley craftsmanship.

“The Flying Spur W12 S is the embodiment of power and luxury
and, just like the gigapixel image, it is full of extraordinary
attention to the most intricate details,” explains John Paul
Gregory, Head of Exterior Design at Bentley.

Having explored the image, you can delve deeper with an
interactive 360° film, narrated by John Paul, who starts his journey
in the Flying Spur W12 S from the marina. “The immersive film
allows you to experience the astonishing car in even more detail
and in a completely new way through a story of discovery,” he says.

At any time, you can click and drag on the film to change the
viewing angle and to explore the sporting styling features of the
car’s exquisitely handcrafted interior, from the knurled controls

BENTLEY MAGAZINE 41

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES
Flying Spur W12 S

and the hand-polished ‘engine spin’

veneers to the unique colour split and the

W12 S badges on the treadplates and

headrests. There is also a 360° walk-around

experience, viewing the car inside and

out, just as you would in a showroom.

In the film, John Paul gives an intimate

perspective on the synergies between the

car and the city. “Dubai and the Flying

Spur W12 S share a history of innovation

and luxury,” he says. “They were both

made on an ambition to create something

perceived as impossible, whether that is

building an oasis in the desert or a sedan

with the power of a supercar.”

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: THE FULL PICTURE With extra power and torque thanks
SHOOTING THE EXTRAORDINARY John Paul Gregory, to the 6.0-litre, twin-turbo W12 engine,
Head of Exterior the car has true supercar performance
It takes 130 hours to build the Flying Spur W12 S and a Design at Bentley, and is the first four-door Bentley to
similar level of dedication was required to take one of takes us on a journey exceed 200 mph (322 km/h). New
the most detailed landscape photographs in the world. in and around the suspension technology also delivers
The process of capturing the 1,825 individual photos that Flying Spur W12 S increased responsiveness for the driver
make up Bentley’s latest 57.7 billion pixel interactive in a special 360° film
image of the Flying Spur in Dubai was long and
sometimes challenging for the 10-strong team led by and a smoother passenger experience.
acclaimed automotive photographer Simon Stock.
John Paul and his design team have given the Flying Spur
Using NASA-derived technology, the team mounted
three Nikon D810 cameras with various lenses of W12 S a number of visual alterations: “There are sharp feature
between 200 mm to 1,500 mm length on a
computerised robotic head suspended more than 70 lines to complement the muscular rear haunches, seven-spoke or
floors high. The team had to overcome a few physical
challenges, including temperatures of 40° Celsius optional five-spoke 21-inch wheels, and gloss black detailing to
(104° Fahrenheit) and winds of 24 km/h (15 mph), which
threatened the stability of the equipment. give a more athletic, purposeful appearance that matches its

Each exposure took nearly two hours, and they shot performance. It’s a Flying Spur with extra attitude.”
for 48 hours to capture all the elements. Each image was
then electronically ‘stitched’ together and corrected for Dubai was the perfect backdrop to demonstrate the
light levels, since they were taken at different times of
the day. Due to its immense size, the final image then impressive capabilities of the car, which is as at home in the city
took 18 hours to download.
as it is comfortable on the open road. “Dubai is a city that is
This is Bentley’s second gigapixel photograph. The
original image showed the Mulsanne on the Golden Gate extremely fast developing, vibrant and confident,” says John
Bridge in California, which was a world first in commercial
and automotive photography. It was made up of 700 Paul. “Just like Bentley, it is a place that keeps on pushing new
frames and 53 billion pixels. Always striving to push the
boundaries further, Bentley wanted to deliver even more limits and surpassing expectations. It also has an eye for luxury
detail with its image of the Flying Spur in Dubai.
and elegance, and a little bit of flamboyance. There is a joy of
42 BENTLEY MAGAZINE
being seen and of showing off your success here.”

The film follows John Paul on a drive across the metropolis,

stopping off at two spectacular locations, both inspired by the

marque’s contemporary elegance and stylish refinement: the

striking Bentley Suite at The St. Regis Dubai hotel and the new

state-of-the-art flagship Bentley Emirates retailer, both on the

famous Sheikh Zayed Road. “Wherever you look in Dubai,

extraordinary design is never far away,” he says.

That is also true of the new gigapixel image and the Flying

Spur W12 S. “What makes them all so extraordinary is that

the closer you look, the more there is to appreciate,” he says.

To view the Flying Spur in Dubai gigapixel photograph, please
visit bentleymotors.com

FLYING SPUR W12 S THE FACTS
Acceleration 0-60 mph 4.2 seconds / 0-100 km/h 4.5 seconds
Top speed 202 mph / 325 km/h Engine 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged
W12 Power 635 PS / 626 bhp / 467 kW @ 6,000 rpm
Torque 820 Nm / 605 lb ft @ 2,000 rpm Chassis Self-levelling air
suspension with Continuous Damping Control and anti-roll bars.



Road to fulfilment

Entrepreneur and Leith Society founder Kristian Groth wanted to create
something lasting and different. His Continental GT Speed reflects his
own uncompromising philosophy

WORDS: JULIA MAROZZI PHOTOS: ULRIK JANTZEN

O ver a lunch of beer, pickled herring, fishcakes and ROOM TO THINK
dark rye bread, he brings out an 1849 edition of Kristian Groth enjoys
Either/Or, the almost impenetrably dense work of reading philosophy at
Søren Kierkegaard, often dubbed the father of his beach house on
existentialism. One of the 19th-century Danish philosopher’s the remote coast of
most famous quotes encapsulates Kristian Groth’s outlook: Life is eastern Denmark
not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.

Groth, an entrepreneur, founder of the Leith Society,
kitesurfer, snowboarder, sailor, explorer and bon vivant, is a man
of many parts. He is also a reader – a book by Albert Camus lies
on a coffee table at his beach house in Dronningmølle in eastern
Denmark – and an explorer not just of extreme physical
landscapes, but also of human psychology and behaviour.

Like his famous Danish forebear, Kristian shares a love of
nature, sea and forests, and the somewhat isolated, beautiful
Danish countryside. The 1892 black-painted wooden beach house,
with white window frames overlooking the Øresund sea and the
Swedish coast opposite, could be the setting for a Scandi noir thriller.
You feel you could disappear here and nobody would know.

This tall dark house stands towards the end of a narrow
private road, unmarked, set back and close to the sea’s edge.
Shadows move across the sky and sunlight hangs above the
beech trees, occasionally sending shards of light down onto the
drive, where Kristian’s Bentley Continental GT W12 Speed
Convertible is casually parked.

There are colleagues scurrying around making lunch and
tidying up. Old pine furniture, a Liberty print-style sofa, vinyl
albums by Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson and Miles Davis adorn
the open-plan living space. A bay window overlooks a heaving
grey sea, driftwood on the pebbled shore. In winter it could be a
cruel scene, but in spring it’s calm. And indoors it’s extremely
cosy with a log-burning stove and a profligate array of lit candles.

“The word leadership stems from the word ÔleithÕ, which
means to go forth and die,” says Kristian when he finally settles
at a large pine table. “There are four key Cs – confidence,
commitment, courage and character.” Along with a tattoo of an
anchor on his left forearm, he has an unseen one, ‘Unfold
yourself’, taken from the first lines of Hamlet as one guard tells
another to “stand and unfold yourself”.

Conversation twists and turns. Kristian says the Continental
GT W12 Speed Convertible has done 30,000 miles (48,280 km) in
the past eight months. He went to Ibiza in the summer to practise
yoga, and met with other like-minded CEOs – “if they do
something, they do it the best” – who had sold their companies.

He wears an A. Lange et Söhne wristwatch, having told the
owner of the watch shop that he would buy one when the Leith

44 BENTLEY MAGAZINE









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Summer is here – and with impeccable timing, so are the latest additions gracing the
Bentley Collection. These limited edition sunglasses for men will not only protect your
eyes, but also will ensure that you are the focus of attention

Whether you‘re planning leisurely drives in
your Bentley, relaxed lunches on the terrace
of your favourite restaurant or cocktails on a
fashionable rooftop bar, the essential accessory
for the summer is a pair of stylish sunglasses.

Take the exquisite limited-edition eyewear
collection inspired by Bentley. Just like the
Crewe-built cars, they are the epitome of
bespoke, handcrafted style. Contemporary
in shape and timeless in appeal, each piece
is handmade in Germany for Bentley by
luxury specialists Estede using the rarest,
most precious materials – solid 18-carat
gold, platinum, titanium, buffalo horn and
Mazzucchelli acetate.

Subtly different, but all imbued with
signature design cues – the Bentley ‘B’,
knurling detailing and strong sculptural power
lines – each pair is made to order in Germany
by craftspeople who strive to achieve the
highest levels of perfection and ensure every
pair is a true masterpiece.

All the sunglasses also feature the finest
state-of-the-art ZEISS polarised lenses to
provide improved vision in strong light and
100 per cent UV protection.