66 SEP/OCT 2019 MAXIM.COM
given a tour of the historic plant, where the Bentley Mark VI was
first produced in 1946. As the book puts it, “it’s a place where mil-
lionaires meet mechanics, where drivers meet the driven, and con-
trasting skill sets are united by mutual passion.” At any given time
there are over 200 people stitching together the sumptuous leather
upholstery that has long been synonymous with the Bentley name,
while equally renowned woodworkers prepare the gorgeous veneers
that make the cabin of a Bentley such a sybaritic environment. The
possible combinations are astronomical, and rarely are any two cab-
ins exactly alike.
It’s a very very busy place these days; in addition to the new Flying
Spur, Bentley’s technicians are building—by hand—the new Conti-
nental GT and Continental GT Convertible, third generation of the
world’s top luxury grand tourer; the Bentayga Speed, which recently
topped the Lamborghini Urus to take the title of world’s fastest SUV;
and the new Bentayga Hybrid, billed as the world’s first true plug in
hybrid luxury SUV, which will no doubt attract many new customers
to the brand even given its $156,900 starting price tag, which in point
of fact makes it Bentley’s least expensive vehicle.
Regardless of its ultra high-tech status, the EXP 100 GT was also
built by hand, and Bentley has no plans to automate production or do
away with any of the painstaking, some would even say outmoded,
method of assembling its cars, giving each of them a unique personal
touch along the way. It is said that the top craftsmen and women at
Crewe can tell at a glance which of them worked on the interior de-
tails of any given car. “ The Bentley EXP 100 GT is a fully sustainable
project, not just in the beautiful sustainable materials it uses, but in
the sustaining of key crafts and skills,” Gregory says. “New technolo-
gies bring new challenges, but a large part of what makes a Bentley a
Bentley is the fact that it is built by hand. As a result we will continue
to build our cars by hand.”
Will the storied factory soon see EXP 100 GTs queueing for its as-
sembly line? The concept is “a beacon for the kind of cars we want to
make in the future,” Gregory tells us. “Like those great cars of the past,
this car will connect with its passenger’s emotions and help them ex-
perience and safeguard the memories of really extraordinary journeys
they take.” He says it will not go into production in its current form but
will “influence future Bentleys in their design, their technology, their
drivetrain and their owner experience.”
Gregory says the marque is already looking ahead to the next hun-
dred years. “We are a business that keeps innovating, keeps inspiring
and thrives on vision, determination and momentum,” he tells Maxim.
“We have our eyes set on the future, pioneering new experiences for
those who have a clear purpose and who value authenticity and in-
novation in equal measure. We strive to perfect what we do today, in-
novate for tomorrow, [and be] the epitome of modern luxury.”
Georges takes a dim view of brands that boast about “redefining
luxury,” an all too common catchphrase these days. “Luxury will not
be redefined,” he insists; it is and always has been “all about emotions.”
However to be considered as true luxury brands these days they “must
be animated by the right values. For Bentley, this means embracing
new, yet exclusive, ideas for customer benefit, such as luxury and mo-
bility services,” especially ones that are not available to the general
public. “We have just launched Bentley on Demand, for our custom-
ers only. This is a service where a Bentley customer can use a Bentley
while traveling or when they need, or want, a different style of vehicle
for a defined period, say a weekend.” And rather than turning to a dif-ferent brand they stay within the fold and never regret it for a minute.
“We have a clear understanding of who a Bentley owner is now, and
in the future,” Gregory notes. “First, we will continue to fully engage,
and be highly relevant to, our existing traditional luxury customers,”
with initiatives such as Bentley on Demand and a brilliant new app
for owners. “Moving forward we will also capture the attention of a
younger and broader modern luxury audience, which will become the
core of our business in the next 10 to 20 years.”
Gregory says they call such customers “life achievers. Not just finan-
cially successful, they are driven to achieve in all aspects of their lives.
They are entrepreneurs, early adopters and digital natives who like to
challenge convention. They care about the world we live in and they
seek our brands with a strong purpose, progressive values and a sense
of social responsibility and diversity.” They also want brands who will
collaborate with their customers. “Brands who don’t just build prod-
ucts, but also create unique, enriching experiences that go beyond the
accumulation of wealth or status.”“The Bentley EXP 100 GT is a fully sustainable project, not just in
the beautiful sustainable materials it uses, but in the sustaining of
key crafts and skills,” notes exterior designer JP Gregory