2011 Bentley Continental GT Mulliner styling treatment review and pictures

Bentley Continental GT Mulliner styling treatment review:

MULLINER STYLING SPECIFICATION ADDS FURTHER DRAMA TO THE NEW CONTINENTAL GT

Widely acclaimed for its crisp, sculpted design, the new Bentley Continental GT is poised to create a further stir with the new Mulliner Styling Specification, a range of Bentley-designed styling options reaffirming its potent road presence.

The new Mulliner Styling Specification's Classic Pack features a unique front bumper splitter, strakes integrated into the front intake grilles, side extension blades and a rear diffuser, all made from high-gloss, black carbon-fibre. These are complemented by a range of individual design options, comprising black, carbon-fibre rear spoiler and door mirror cowls as well as distinctive, black-painted 21-inch ?Elegant' alloy wheels and dark mesh front wing vents with black carbon-fibre bezels.

Styled by Raul Pires, Bentley's head of exterior design who, under the leadership of Design Director Dirk van Braeckel, was the creative force behind the lithe shape of the Continental GT, the Mulliner Styling Specification underlines the iconic form of Bentley's new GT. Pires comments:

"The Mulliner Styling Specification, with its sharper lines and darker, lower appearance subtly underscores the extrovert, flamboyant nature of our new Coupe. It delivers a more personalised, sportive interpretation of a luxurious, refined GT."

The new Mulliner Styling Specification provides customers with the opportunity to personalise their new GT with a range of stylish features engineered at the company's factory in Crewe, England, ensuring Bentley standards of quality and design integrity.

The Mulliner Styling Specification - Classic Pack

Each element of the Mulliner Styling Specification is distinguished by the use of specially commissioned, black high-gloss carbon-fibre featuring a distinctive weave design. Skilfully echoing the beautifully crafted wood veneers of the new GT's cabin, each carbon-fibre component employs a similar ?mirror matching' process with the unique weave pattern flowing in one direction.

The sporting frontal appearance of the new GT is subtly enhanced by a sleek black carbon- fibre front bumper splitter, complemented by solid carbon-fibre strakes integrated into the lower air intake grilles.

Black carbon-fibre extension blades, positioned beneath the sills, sweep down the sides of the Continental GT, providing a fresh interpretation of the striking profile of the Bentley coupe, drawing the eye to the sharp powerlines and muscular rear haunches. Each extension blade features a discreet ?Winged B' motif. At the rear, a full-width black carbon-fibre diffuser adds greater definition to the GT's signature twin, flared, elliptical exhaust tailpipes.

The Mulliner Styling Specification - Optional Design Features

In addition to the core features of the Classic Pack, customers have the opportunity to personalise their cars still further with four additional optional features. The GT's stylish rear spoiler, which automatically deploys at higher road speeds, may be specified in carbon -fibre, while Pires's renowned eye for detail is reflected in the optional carbon-fibre door mirror cowls.

To complement the carbon-fibre features of the Mulliner Styling Specification, customers may also specify the option of 21-inch 7-spoke Elegant alloy wheels in a dramatic black-painted finish with contrasting bright machined detailing.

Customers may also opt for eye-catching, curved wing vents. Positioned just behind the front wheel arches, the dark chrome mesh vents (framed by a carbon-fibre bezel) offer improved heat diffusion as well as forcefully underlining the Continental GT's high-performance credentials.

Rigorously tested by Bentley for customer peace of mind

Unlike many after-market styling packages, Bentley has subjected the components of the Mulliner Styling Specification to a typically rigorous and comprehensive quality and engineering test and development programme.

A series of high performance ?V-Max' tests and wind tunnel appraisals were undertaken to ensure that the handling and performance credentials of the new Continental GT are not compromised by the addition of the Mulliner Styling Specification.

The carbon-fibre itself has been subjected to an extended regime of extreme climatic and real world driving tests to ensure that durability matches the same high standards of the cars to which they are applied.

To ensure that Bentley standards of build quality are maintained, the Mulliner Styling Specification package is only available for fitment by factory-trained technicians at authorised Bentley dealers. Steve O'Hara, Aftersales Director, explains the Bentley philosophy:

"To ensure complete peace of mind for our customers, the Mulliner Styling Specification is underpinned by the Company's exhaustive aerodynamic and durability testing programme and is backed by a full Bentley warranty."

The Classic Pack is available to order from June 2011 onwards and the optional design features can be ordered from authorised Bentley dealers from Autumn 2011.