Vibrant in Violette – a hue from Bentley’s past

A newly commissioned Continental GTC Speed has resurrected a colour from Bentley’s history – the striking and vibrant blue-purple tone of ‘Violette’ – as part of a special co-creation with a UK-based client. Chosen to reflect the customer’s personal vision and to deliberately avoid the more understated colours, the bold tone is expertly complemented with Gloss Black exterior brightware details including the Gloss Black Bentley badges. The seven layer material canvas roof, is finished in a dark grey metallic  weave, to complement the contemporary exterior of the car.

Bentley’s Paint Shop can resurrect any colour from Bentley’s history, using either master samples held on file in a dedicated archive or by remastering from an existing car. In this case, the client chose Violette, but other recent examples include Sage Green from the 1950s, Shell Grey from the 1960s and Rubino Red from the 2000s.

The commission also reflects a wider trend among Bentley customers; and an increasing appetite for personalisation and detail. Today, more than 70 per cent of customers select at least one Mulliner feature in their configuration – a clear sign of the growing demand for individuality that Mulliner brings to life.

A Bold Flair

This bespoke commission is a special UK order for a passionate Bentley client, a true ‘enthusiast’ who has previously acquired numerous Bentley models, including six Bentaygas – one in striking Magenta – and, most recently, a Continental GT in Scarab Green. For them, Bentley should be more than safe, traditional colours; it should reflect individuality and personalisation.           

His appreciation for Bentley extends beyond the modern range of cars. He has also experienced the thrill as a passenger at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in one of the Speed Six Continuation Series cars – a new build of the Speed Six, widely celebrated as the most successful Bentley racing car of its era and one of the brand’s most important historic vehicles.

An Interior to Match

To mirror the customer’s penchant for vibrancy, Mulliner has incorporated a bespoke hide in Tanzanite Purple to reflect the exterior’s distinctive tone. The colour is applied to the centre console, three-dimensional leather door panels, steering wheel, and seat backs, while Linen hide is featured on the seats, steering wheel, and centre console to enhance the richness of the purple. Accents of Lilac are woven throughout the cabin using hide and thread, including the gear lever and steering wheel straight-ahead mark, adding depth and refinement to the bespoke interior.         

Finely detailed stitching and seat piping in Lilac add depth and refinement, contrasted against the tactile surfaces of the Stone Veneer and 3D-textured hide, showcasing the freedom of expression made possible through Mulliner co-creation. 

Stone Veneer is a state-of-the-art finish crafted by Bentley, which is a fusion of century-old craftsmanship and advanced technologies. The result is a highly textured veneer with variations in colour and pattern which are almost impossible to imitate. Mulliner’s craft teams can take stone, a 200-million-year-old material, and create fascia, console and waistrail panels in lightweight veneers just 0.1mm in thickness. These have a natural tactile texture and are available in four shades: Autumn, Copper, Galaxy and Terra Red.

When it comes to craftsmanship, new colleagues gain knowledge and skills from Bentley’s Master Trainers in order to reach the upmost levels of ability, and to learn the vast array of techniques required to craft Bentley’s interiors to the highest of standards.           

The cabin is further elevated with Bentley’s signature Rotating Display, the Naim for Bentley flagship audio system, and the Dark Chrome Interior Specification – a design feature first introduced with the fourth-generation Continental GT.

Bentley Continental GT