I don’t know about you, but I have spent way too many hours online in configurators (or visualizers) for some of the world’s most exclusive car makers, I just love to play around with options on cars I will probably never be able to afford anyway, but it’s so much fun putting dreams together on a computer’s screen, this went so far as me actually designing and programming my very own Lamborghini virtual configurator because I felt the factory one didn’t go far enough.
Now it seems management at Bentley in Crewe, UK, had the same sentiment, they just released their Mulliner visualiser to have customers create their very own, bespoke car by using an application together with their retailer or with a designer from Bentley, without leaving the comfort of their house.
From within the Mulliner virtualiser, the customer can view their new car, both from the outside and on the inside, complete with their selected choice of paint and upholstery, it is even possible to color match the hides on the interior to the outside, and have the correct color code sent directly to Bentley Mulliner for the dye on the leather.
Naturally the choice of stitching options is almost endless, and now the client can even specify how the veneer inside his (or her) new Bentley will be finished, Mulliner offers the fascias and waist-rails painted to the same piano-finish standard as the exterior, in any one of the scores of colors on offer.
I know for a fact the list of paint colors on a Bentley is daunting to say the least, it contains 62 colors, and with the new Mulliner visualiser, things get even more complicated with the addition of 26 more shades, fifteen of those are solid or regular metallic, but Mulliner also offers 4 new satin finishes and no less than seven complex, pearlescent three-layer paints, all applied in a combination of hand spraying and robot technology for the best possible finish … the ‘stock’ pallet of Bentley colors is one of the largest in the industry.
Some of the additional paints from Mulliner:
First created in the 1960s, Oxford Blue is a stunning solid paint and one of the darkest blues in the Bentley palette. This mesmerizing Mulliner paint recalls the power and elegance of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.
Viridian is the latest metallic paint to be introduced and is a modern take on the traditional British racing green. This mysterious dark emerald is inspired by the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept car shown at the Geneva International Motor Show in 2015. The deep green with light green and blue undertones creates depth and a sporting dimension, while flecks of amber and gold embody the character of luxury.
Snow Quartz is a modern white three layer pearlescent paint, which creates a simple and fresh silhouette. The finely layered pearl effect creates a beautiful shimmering and lustrous whiteness, providing an infinite amount of opportunities to complement interior color combinations.
The glimmering surface of Extreme Silver has been given a striking new finish to create Extreme Silver Satin. This distinctive Mulliner Paint alters the character of this warm silver almost beyond recognition, replacing the metallic gleam with a subtle satiny sheen that brings the sharp Bentley design lines to the fore.
And if that doesn’t fit your specific needs, no problem, Bentley’s personal commissioning division can color-match virtually any sample provided, using innovative color recognition software to analyze the composition of the sample provided and reproducing it to perfection.