By Otsile Kadiege

Bentley’s two-door grand tourer (Continental GT) recently received Mulliner treatment. The new GT Mulliner W12 takes the best of all worlds to create the ultimate Continental GT combining the performance and dynamism of the Speed, the comfort of the recently-announced Azure and the magic touch and artistic flair of Mulliner handcraftsmanship. This makes the Continental GT Mulliner W12 the most powerful, fastest, most dynamic and most luxurious Continental GT yet created.

Mulliner exterior

Outside, a suite of exclusive exterior design features separate the Continental GT Mulliner from the rest of the family. At the front, the new ‘Double Diamond’ matrix grille defines the new Mulliner signature style, complemented by matching front fender vents echoing the same silver and black design and with Mulliner branding. All of these features are available either with a bright chrome or with the more contemporary gloss black appeal of Mulliner Blackline Specification. Approaching and opening either door reveals the other Mulliner design features – mirror caps in either satin silver or black with Mulliner Welcome Lamps beneath, and illuminated outer door sills with Mulliner text.

Mulliner interior

The cabin of the Continental GT Mulliner W12 features a unique colour split which is exclusive to the car, with a new combination of primary and secondary hide joined by a third colour through a flowing design line. Eight different three-colour combinations are proposed by Mulliner, using Bentley’s palette of hides and threads to create striking yet elegant contrast throughout the cabin. A choice of 88 Piano wood veneers encourage further personalisation. “Diamond in Diamond” quilting to the seats, door trims and rear quarter panels is made up of almost 400,000 stitches with each diamond containing exactly 712 individual stitches. Naturally these are available in a spectrum of coloured threads, too.

It takes almost 400,000 stitches to deliver this quilting across the cabin of the car, with each diamond containing exactly 712 individual stitches – each one precisely aligned to point to the centre of the diamond it creates. Developing the embroidery process to deliver this process alone took 18 months. The seats themselves are finished with embroidered Mulliner logos. The floor mats are edged with micro-piping to match the rest of the colour theme of the interior and chrome Bentley ‘B’ retention caps are an example of the fine details that separate the Continental GT Mulliner. The roof of the cabin is trimmed along its full length with indented hide, or smooth hide to match the seat backs if the fixed glass roof is selected.

Performance

Powering the new Continental GT Mulliner W12 is a 6.0-litre TFSI engine making 485kW (650bhp) and 900Nm. The posh Mulliner W12 Continental GT is fitted with a 48V active anti-roll control system which features powerful electric motors within each anti-roll bar to resist body roll. In their firmest setting, the motors can deliver 1300Nm in 0.3 seconds to counteract cornering forces and keep the body level.

Bentley claims it will sprint from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.6 seconds and has a top speed of 335km/h. A combination of four chassis technologies are said to give the new Mulliner model a level of agility, performance and ride quality that has been stretched to new levels.

It’s also fitted with Bentley’s Dynamic Ride and three-chamber active air suspension with adaptive damping. The optional and newly-developed Carbon Ceramic Brakes, Variable Electronic Stability Control, All Wheel Steering, and an Electronic Limited Slip Differential bolster the agility and performance even further.

The new GT Mulliner W12 will be on display at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it will take to the hill along with three members of the new S range. Joining these modern road-going products on the hillclimb will be the first car in Bentley’s Blower Continuation Series, Blower Car Zero.