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SPOFEC ROLLS ROYCE WRAITH BLACK BADGE OVERDOSE

SPOFEC ROLLS ROYCE

WRAITH OVERDOSE BLACK BADGE

 

Black, wide, powerful and exclusive: SPOFEC offers a strictly limited edition of only three SPOFEC OVERDOSE models worldwide based on the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Wraith.

The thrilling looks of this GT are coined by the spectacular widebody version with components made of carbon and 22-inch SPOFEC SP2 hi-tech forged wheels, which Vossen produces especially for this supercar. The coupe’s twelve-cylinder twin-turbo powerplant is uprated to 527 kW / 717 hp peak power and a peak torque of 986 Nm. This enables the OVERDOSE to sprint from rest to 100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds. In addition, there is a lowering module for the air suspension, which lowers the ride height of the two-door by about 40 millimeters.

SPOFEC ROLLS ROYCE WRAITH BLACK BADGE OVERDOSE

Black, wide, powerful and exclusive: SPOFEC offers a strictly limited edition of only three SPOFEC OVERDOSE models worldwide based on the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Wraith. The thrilling looks of this GT are coined by the spectacular widebody version with components made of carbon and 22-inch SPOFEC SP2 hi-tech forged wheels, which Vossen produces especially for this supercar. The coupe’s twelve-cylinder twin-turbo powerplant is uprated to 527 kW / 717 hp peak power and a peak torque of 986 Nm. This enables the OVERDOSE to sprint from rest to 100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds. In addition, there is a lowering module for the air suspension, which lowers the ride height of the two-door by about 40 millimeters.

SPOFEC refines all current Rolls-Royce models. The brand name is composed of the first letters of the “SPirit OF Ecstasy,” the legendary radiator figure of the luxury cars from Goodwood. For the Black Badge Wraith, the German automotive refinement specialist is creating an OVERDOSE Limited Edition of just three cars. The carbon widebody that gives this supercar its name was shaped in cooperation with German designer Vittorio Strosek. The hi-tech compound from Formula 1 racing offers a perfect combination of low weight and high strength, while the high-end finish of these composite components guarantees a flawless fit and surface quality as well as optimal paintability. The wider front and rear fenders are instantly fascinating.

They give the 2+2-seater a width of 208 centimeters at the rear axle, surpassing the production car by 13 centimeters. To this end, SPOFEC developed curved extensions for the rear sidewalls, which seamlessly attach to the production bodywork. They create space for concave 10.5Jx22 forged wheels, which are fitted with high-performance tires of size 295/30 ZR 22. To match the vehicle, the SPOFEC SP2 wheels featuring nine pairs of double-spokes and a large cover that conceals the wheel bolts are painted black. US company Vossen, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of hi-tech wheels, is responsible for the design and production. The OVERDOSE front fenders create the space required to install 9.5Jx22 wheels fitted with 265/35 ZR 22 tires. The fenders replace the production components in their entirety and add seven centimeters to the width of the Wraith at the front.

Special rocker panels create a perfect transition between the front and rear OVERDOSE fenders. What is more, they also emphasize the thrilling wasp waist and give the British luxury coupe an even lower and sleeker stance. An air intake on each side supplies the rear brakes with cooling air. The automotive refinement specialist also developed special SPOFEC OVERDOSE fascias for the wider front and rear fenders, which completely replace the production bumpers. The carbon front fascia not only gives the Wraith an even more striking face, it also reduces front-axle lift at high speeds. The OVERDOSE rear bumper likewise is a perfect fit with the two fender flares, giving the fastback a decidedly sporty look from the rear as well. A naked-carbon spoiler lip on the trunk lid can round off the athletic look. The SPOFEC performance upgrade is available to make the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Wraith’s 6.6-liter twin-turbo twelve-cylinder even livelier. The processor-driven N-TRONIC module controls the engine with special mapping for injection and ignition and increases the boost pressure as well. With an output of 527 kW / 717 hp at 5,700 rpm and a peak torque of 986 Nm, on tap at a low 1,800 rpm, the upgraded luxury coupe slings itself from zero – 100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds. The top speed remains electronically limited to 250 km/h due to the high vehicle weight. The optimized power delivery of the V12 over the entire rev range ensures an even more superior driving experience. The SPOFEC OVERDOSE also offers a further plus when it comes to agile handling. To this end, the SPOFEC chassis engineers developed a special control module for the production air suspension. It lowers the ride height of the coupe by around 40 millimeters up to a speed of 140 km/h. At speeds higher than that, the body is automatically raised back up to the original level. SPOFEC also individualizes the interior of the Rolls-Royce Coupe by customer request.

www.novitecgroup.com

 

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‘This is for you, world’ – the marketing campaign for the EQS

‘This is for you, world’ – the marketing campaign for the EQS

Concept and objectives

‚This is for you, world‘ – die Marketingkampagne zum EQS // ‘This is for you, world’ – the marketing campaign for the EQS

  • The EQS is the first model in the Mercedes-EQ family to be based on the modular architecture for luxury and executive-class electric vehicles. It marks an important milestone in Ambition 2039 – the path to the CO2-neutral mobility of the future at Mercedes-Benz.

    ‚This is for you, world‘ – die Marketingkampagne zum EQS // ‘This is for you, world’ – the marketing campaign for the EQS

  • For the first time, a marketing campaign starts at the same time as a world premiere – in a uniform look. The campaign translates the EQS’s seemingly magical fusion of technology, design, functionality and connectivity into a surreal look that challenges the reality we know. The campaign breaks with conventions and works with a mix of abstract art and fashion that stimulates visually.

“We are particularly pleased to launch an integrated marketing campaign for the first time synchronized at the world premiere of the EQS,” says Bettina Fetzer, Head of Marketing Mercedes-Benz AG. “With this extraordinary staging, we want to combine sustainable mobility with an emotional and luxurious brand experience and further strengthen the fascination for our electric Mercedes-EQ models.”

‚This is for you, world‘ – die Marketingkampagne zum EQS // ‘This is for you, world’ – the marketing campaign for the EQS

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Phantom Tempus Collection: a highly innovative debut in China
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Phantom Tempus Collection: a highly innovative debut in China

Phantom Tempus Collection: a highly innovative debut in China

ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS PRESSCLUB · ARTICLE.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection made its China debut in Shanghai on 16th April 2021. This Bespoke masterpiece, which is inspired by time and the infinite reaches of the universe, is limited to only 20 examples worldwide.

“Rolls-Royce has enjoyed considerable growth in the Chinese market during 2020, delivering an historic performance in its Bespoke personalisation business and introducing innovative new ways to engage with its clients. It is with great pleasure that we introduce the Phantom Tempus Collection to our Chinese clients in Shanghai’s fashion district. We have introduced access to our products in innovative ways, including via WeChat, befitting the agility and creativity of the Rolls-Royce brand.”

Leon Li, Director of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Greater China.

“Phantom Tempus is a motor car for those who shape the world as they seek their own place in the universe. They understand that whatever our individual gifts, talents and opportunities, we are all gifted time – and it is up to us to make the most of every precious moment. With Phantom Tempus, we have created a space in which the strictures of time no longer apply – as illustrated by the deliberate absence of a clock. Rolls-Royce clients are not bound by time; the outside world with all its pressures and demands are forgotten.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Phantom Tempus Collection: a highly innovative debut in China

Phantom Tempus Collection: a highly innovative debut in China

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus Collection made its China debut in Shanghai on 16th April 2021. This Bespoke masterpiece, which is inspired by time and the infinite reaches of the universe, is limited to only 20 examples worldwide.

The debut of the Phantom Tempus Collection in China also includes a unique experience, the ‘Journey of Time’, enabling clients to appreciate the Collection from the marque’s official WeChat account, as well as commit to commissioning one of these highly exclusive products.

For the Phantom Tempus Collection debut in China, Rolls-Royce created an experiential exhibition, offering a unique tour through a ‘Space Capsule’. This immersive installation provides a vivid illusion of time standing still where guests will experience a sensory feast with customised audio and visual interactions. This includes the provision for guests to create personalised ‘Tempus’ music with highly contemporary touch controls.

Phantom Tempus Collection: a highly innovative debut in China

Phantom Tempus Collection: a highly innovative debut in China

This unique installation is situated at the bustling Plaza 66 in the fashion district of Shanghai’s city centre.

PHANTOM TEMPUS COLLECTION

Rolls-Royce Phantom, the marque’s pinnacle product, resides at the apex of luxury world. Producing a Collection Car is always a seminal moment for the marque. With the Phantom Tempus Collection, the sources of inspiration are on an appropriately grand scale: time, deep space, and a theoretical physicist who changed the way to see the universe.

The design of the Phantom Tempus Collection encompasses various aesthetic and intellectual themes relating to time and the cosmos. A key component is a rare astronomical phenomenon, the pulsar, unknown until 1967 and found only in the deepest reaches of space (the nearest yet discovered is 280 light years, or 1,680 trillion miles, from Earth). These very dense, white-hot stars emit electromagnetic radiation in extremely regular pulses, making them some of the most accurate clocks in the universe.

In the Phantom Tempus Collection, this remarkable force of nature is rendered as a centrepiece in a Bespoke Starlight Headliner consisting of fibre-optic lighting and intricate Bespoke embroidery, creating the unique and beautiful Pulsar Headliner.

Another aspect of time – the illusion of its standing still – is captured in the ‘Frozen Flow of Time’ Gallery. This unique artwork is housed in the fascia from which the clock is deliberately omitted to signify patrons’ freedom from time and its limitations. A single billet of aluminium is milled to form 100 individually contoured columns, representing the 100 million year period of a rotational spin of a pulsar star. Each column is black-anodised and hand-polished to reflect the light. As the eye travels along it, the whole structure, though entirely solid, appears to ripple and flex.

A description of the Gallery can be found on an engraved plaque in the glove compartment, together with a quotation from Albert Einstein, “The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion”.

A swirling, twisting pattern of stars is presented on the interior of the doors. Created by hundreds of illuminated perforations, additional perforations in contrasting leather add a greater depth and detail to the effect, providing an atmospheric aura even when not illuminated.

The exterior of the Phantom Tempus Collection is presented in a new Bespoke paint finish, Kairos Blue, created to embody the darkness and mystery of space. The paint incorporates jewel-like blue mica flakes, which glitter and glint as they catch the light, representing the stars. This effect is highlighted by black exterior detailing.

Gracing the bonnet of the Phantom Tempus Collection is the Spirit of Ecstasy, now in her 110th year, personalised with a unique date and location of particular significance to the client. A marriage, the birth of a child or even a major business success, can be engraved as a timeless reminder on the base of the iconic figurine.

The unique online presentation of the Phantom Tempus Collection, via Rolls-Royce’s WeChat account, showcases the marque’s Bespoke capabilities and reflects Chinese patrons’ preferences for increasingly digital experiences.

CO2 EMISSIONS & CONSUMPTION.

  • Phantom: NEDCcorr (combined) CO2 emission: 329-328 g/km; Fuel consumption: 19.5-19.6 mpg / 14.5-14.4 l/100km; WLTP (combined) CO2 emission: 356-341 g/km; Fuel consumption: 18.0-18.8 mpg / 15.7-15.0 l/100km
  • Phantom Extended: NEDCcorr (combined) CO2 emission: 330-328 g/km; Fuel consumption: 19.5 mpg / 14.5 l/100km; WLTP (combined) CO2 emission: 361-344 g/km; Fuel consumption: 17.8-18.6 mpg / 15.9-15.2 l/100km
  • www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

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The-new-Mercedes-Maybach-S-Class-Exterior-design
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Exterior design of the new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class

Exterior design of the new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class

The new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class: Exterior design

Well-balanced proportions and many exclusive details

The Mercedes-Maybach S-Class expresses the superlative luxury that is the hallmark of the brand. It is a well-conceived combination of sublime beauty and trailblazing technology. It has an 18 centimetre longer wheelbase than the long Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Plus a number of exclusive features.

The Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is a classic three-box saloon with perfect proportions. These are determined by a short front overhang, the longest wheelbase in this model family, a well-balanced rear overhang and large wheels.

Distinguishing features at the front include the distinctive bonnet with a chromed fin and the Mercedes-Maybach radiator grille. This is highly recognisable by its vertical, three-dimensional trim strips. The word mark MAYBACH is elegantly integrated into the chrome surround of the grille. The equally distinctive bumper further emphasises the vehicle’s width with the shape of its air inlets, whose black mesh is also optionally available in chrome.

The Mercedes-Maybach S-Class also differs from its brother models when viewed from the side: The rear doors and flowing, more upright C-pillars underline the model’s superlative status. The fixed quarterlight in the C-pillar is framed by a high-quality surround that seamlessly blends into the side trim. Exclusivity is emphasised by the Maybach brand logo on the C-pillar. In some countries the brand logo is illuminated. The side view is characterised by flush-fitted door handles and 19, 20 or 21-inch wheels specially designed and reserved for this model. The optional ambient illumination projects the brand logo next to the opened front doors in LED technology.

The luxury saloon has the progressively designed, two-section rear lights of the new S-Class generation. Additional lights in the precisely laid-out interior, as well as partly animated functions, also make the Mercedes-Maybach unmistakable at night. The model-specific rear bumper and exhaust tailpipes also lend uniqueness to the rear view.

As well as non-metallic, metallic and designo paint finishes, the range of paintwork for the Mercedes-Maybach additionally includes two-tone finishes with a fine, hand-painted dividing line known as the pin-stripe (see “Under the microscope”). This particularly reinforces the extraordinary hand-built impression.

The new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class: Under the microscope: Two-tone paintwork

One week for the second colour

On request, the exclusive appearance of the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class can be enhanced by a two-tone paint finish with dividing line. This is applied by hand according to the highest quality criteria. It can take up to one week before the vehicle is returned to the regular production process from the custom paintshop.

Even a two-tone Maybach begins its painting process in regular production. In the paintshop, the bodyshell is automatically and electrostatically given a full coat of paint in the colour that will eventually embellish the lower half of the body – plus a layer of clearcoat. In the electrostatic painting process, statically charged paint particles are atomised and deposited on the (earthed) bodyshell.

The bodyshell is then sent to the custom paintshop. Once there, the entire bodyshell is ground to a matt finish by hand. Thorough cleaning is followed by the first, particularly demanding work stage: masking off. As the designers did not position the dividing line between the upper and lower paint finishes in a recess or below a trim strip, this requires extremely precise hand-painting. A special adhesive tape with a corresponding gap is used to apply the only four‑millimetre wide dividing line between the two colours.

As an interesting detail, the doors are weighted with weights before masking the dividing line. This is to simulate the effect of subsequent interior finishing with windows, power window fittings, loudspeakers, panelling and other technical equipment. This allowance ensures that the dividing line along the side and doors will later be at exactly the same height.

All the surfaces that will later bear the lower colour are masked off. These also include the transitions to the interior, e.g. at the doors or wheel arches – even where trim or a lining will later be installed. This too is part of the dedication to quality.

The exposed parts of the body are now completely painted by hand. Pneumatically atomised by compressed air, the paint is applied so that it presents the same picture as after electrostatic painting – this is important because removable parts installed later on, e.g. the bumpers, must precisely match the paint finish. Before the new base coat has fully dried, the masking tape is carefully removed without damaging the edges. The complete bodyshell is then given a new coat of clear varnish.

This has to happen within a very short time window, so that the edges between the paint coats blend into each other and cannot be felt afterwards – unlike competitors, where the dividing line is painted on. If the experts in the custom paintshop are not satisfied, the complete bodyshell is reground, the topcoat is re-finished and the whole bodyshell is given a clearcoat. All in all, the process including the necessary drying times can take up to one week.

The following colour combinations from the Mercedes-Maybach paint chart are available, the choice being dictated by whether the upper colour can fully cover the lower colour:

Lower colour Upper colour
designo diamond white bright obsidian black
high-tech silver selenite grey
obsidian black selenite grey
nautical blue high-tech silver
rubellite red designo kalahari gold
onyx black designo kalahari gold
obsidian black high-tech silver
obsidian black rubellite red
emerald green Mojave silver
Mojave silver onyx black
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Automobili Lamborghini and Yohji Yamamoto opening of the Lamborghini Lounge Tokyo

Automobili Lamborghini and Yohji Yamamoto celebrate the grand opening of the Lamborghini Lounge Tokyo and the Ad Personam Studio

Sant’Agata Bolognese/Tokyo, October 2020 – Automobili Lamborghini opens THE LOUNGE TOKYO in the exclusive residential area of Roppongi, and the second venue of its kind after New York in the United States. Featuring a permanent Ad Personam studio where clients ordering cars can fully personalize every aspect of their new Lamborghini’s exterior and interior color and trim, THE LOUNGE TOKYO provides not only a gateway into the world of Lamborghini for owners and VIPs, but provides a meeting and venue space for events and exhibitions.

The inaugural exhibition sees a collaboration between Lamborghini and the eponymous brand of the world-renowned fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto: the lounge offers the perfect setting to present an Aventador S “dressed” by Yohji Yamamoto, alongside a co-branded capsule collection comprised of three unique pieces: mod coat, bomber jacket and hoodie sweatshirt.

When Mitja Borkert, Head of Design for Automobili Lamborghini, met Yohji Yamamoto at Paris Fashion Week in January 2020, he was impressed by the style resulting from the contrasting red and black in the collection presented, as well as by the outstanding craftsmanship embodied in each item of clothing. The correlation in brand values between Lamborghini and Yohji Yamamoto was clear and the collaboration was born. Taking inspiration from the Paris collection, the Lamborghini Centro Stile imagined the iconic Aventador S as a canvas to paint. The distinctive Gandini line characterizing each Lamborghini is still clearly visible in the Aventador, but dressed with selected patterns from the clothing collection: the same designs enhance the Aventador S’s interior.

Mitja Borkert comments: “It has been exciting to have the chance to work with Yohji Yamamoto, the world-renowned fashion icon, who innately understood our significant Lamborghini design DNA. Our collaboration inspired this outstanding artwork and design for the Aventador S, which was unveiled today, and celebrates Italian craftsmanship connecting with Japanese culture.”

Yohji Yamamoto says: “With their inimitable design, Lamborghini super sports cars are more instantly recognizable than any other car manufacturer – just one glance is enough. I am delighted to see the realization of this collaboration, highlighting the uniqueness, the timelessness, and the abundant passion, which are characteristic of both our brands.”

THE LOUNGE TOKYO’s ground floor provides the first entrée into Lamborghini lifestyle, as well as being the venue for personalized handovers to owners of their new Lamborghini. The second and third floors offer exceptional event and meeting locations for both business and private occasions: assuring a unique experience for all attending and embodying the unique style and design characteristics of the legendary Lamborghini brand, the venue will also open to the public for special activities such as exhibitions or art shows.

Katia Bassi, Chief Marketing & Communication Officer of Automobili Lamborghini says: “We created this lounge because we are designers of experience, and we want guests to enjoy the real Italian Lamborghini feeling in this space: a little of Sant’Agata Bolognese soul in the heart of Tokyo. It reflects our attitude to innovating, while maintaining our brand DNA and our Italian cultural identity; the Lounge’s core concept of informal luxury expresses the Lamborghini worldview while welcoming guests to this intimate and exclusive environment that evokes the Lamborghini brand at every turn.

Lamborghini always strives to break new ground, both within the automotive sector in terms of design, technology and performance, but within the greater realm around us. We are proud to present two important projects at the same time: together with the Lounge’s opening, a second project comes alive today, and we are honored to present Lamborghini’s collaboration with Yohji Yamamoto.”  

Giovanni Perosino, Chief Commercial Officer of Automobili Lamborghini concludes: “More than half of the cars delivered globally by Lamborghini have one or more details customized via our Ad Personam program, either through visiting our headquarters’ studio or accessing the customization opportunities through our dealer network. Our Japanese clients embrace the almost limitless opportunities presented by Ad Personam: I was excited to see over 200 Lamborghinis, customized through the program, join us last year for our Lamborghini Day in Osaka. It is our pleasure to announce the opening of the Ad Personam Studio right here at the LAMBORGHINI LOUNGE TOKYO, facilitating our Japanese owners in personalizing their vehicles without going overseas. It is our honor to have so many customers and fans in Japan, and our privilege to open the doors to the world of Lamborghini through this Lamborghini Lounge.”

THE LOUNGE TOKYO
Venue: 7-5-5 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032, Japan
Business hours: Monday to Friday (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
Email: concierge.tokyolounge@lamborghini.com

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BUGATTI BOLIDE – WHAT IF …

 Bugatti developed an extreme, track-focused hyper sports car with an unprecedented weight-to-power ratio of only 0.67 kg per PS?

Reduced, raw, authentic. With the technological concept of the Bugatti Bolide1, the French luxury car manufacturer is now providing the answer to the question what if Bugatti built a radically light vehicle around its iconic 8.0-litre W16 engine? The experimental study of the Bugatti Bolide is a track-oriented hyper sports car featuring a W16 engine derived from series production as powertrain combined with a minimal body for maximum downforce. It therefore promises to offer the ultimate Bugatti performance kick.

The idea – what if? An experiment.

“Bugatti stands for the continuous quest for technological innovations – in alignment with the company’s brand values of excellence, courage, dedication. And Bugatti never stands still. We are perpetually aiming for new and exciting goals, and the question that we always keep in mind is: what if?” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti.

“We asked ourselves how we could realise the mighty W16 engine as a technical symbol of the brand in its purest form – with solely four wheels, engine, gearbox, steering wheel and, as the only luxury, two seats. Important aspects of our considerations were fine-tuning our iconic powertrain without any limitations as regards the weight-to-power ratio. These considerations resulted in the Bugatti Bolide. An uncompromising experiment, a thoroughbred, a Pur Sang that, in its brute exclusivity, impresses above all with high performance, low weight, and a driving experience in a whole new dimension. Driving the Bolide is like riding on a cannonball.”

The technology – powertrain designed specifically for the racetrack

“The Bolide is the ultimate answer to the question of what if Bugatti built a track-focused hyper sports car that met the FIA’s safety requirements. Designed around the W16 powertrain with the minimum body structure and unbelievable performance data. The result: the smallest possible shell for a breathtaking performance vehicle that allows the W16 to truly come into its own,” explains Stefan Ellrott, member of the Board of Management of Bugatti and Head of Technical Development. “All of Bugatti’s expertise has been condensed into the Bugatti Bolide. It is therefore an innovative information source for future technologies. The Bolide is thus more than just an intellectual exercise.

“In terms of technology and organisation, the Bolide was one of the most ambitious projects of my career,” says Frank Götzke. After playing a crucial role in the development of the Veyron 16.4 and the Chiron, the engineer was also responsible for the technical concept of the Bolide. In only eight months, he created a completely new vehicle around the well-known Bugatti W16 all-wheel powertrain, which was highly modified for the project.

The 8.0-litre W16-cylinder engine with 1,850 PS and 1,850 newton-metres of torque is at its heart. Bugatti has designed the drive specifically for use on the racetrack and has optimised the engine and gearbox in particular for higher engine speeds. Among other things, this includes dethrottling the intake and exhaust system to achieve an even faster, more spontaneous, and extreme response characteristic. The four newly developed turbochargers are fitted with optimised blades in order to build up more boost pressure and power at higher engine speeds. In order to achieve optimum lubrication even under extremely high centrifugal forces, the oil circuit, oil pressure, check valves, baffles, oil tanks, oil reservoirs, and pump design of the dry sump lubrication have been optimised. The weight of the drive system is also significantly reduced at the same time.

Instead of water-to-air intercooling, the Bugatti Bolide has air-to-air intercooling with water pre-cooling for optimal performance on the racetrack. The inflow takes place from the front via one internal and one external air duct on each side of the vehicle. The two water coolers, which are arranged in front of the front axle, provide a more effective radiator system in terms of flow than is customary even in Formula 1. Three air-cooled oil coolers for engine, transmission, and differential with water pre-cooling reduce the temperature even on dynamically demanding race laps. Newly developed and hybrid carbon titanium turbofan radial compressors ventilate and cool the high-performance racing brake system.

1,850 PS and 1,240 kilograms – weight-to-power ratio of 0.67 kg/PS

In order to achieve a dry weight of 1,240 kilograms, all the stops have been pulled out with regard to the materials and production processes used, both in terms of what is currently feasible and what will be possible in the future.

All the screw and fastening elements of the Bolide are made completely out of titanium. In addition, hollow, thin-walled functional components made of an aerospace titanium alloy are used in many places. These originate from a 3D printer and are extremely thin with wall thicknesses of up to 0.5 millimetres. However, they are still very stable with a tensile strength of 1,250 newtons per square millimetre. Hybrid components, such as the 0.5- metre-long auxiliary drive shaft, combine wound high-strength and ultra-stiff carbon fibres with 3D-printed titanium end fittings and can withstand a continuous operating temperature of up to 260 degrees Celsius. In this example, this reduces the weight by around half to 1.5 kilograms and, due to the reduction of the rotating masses, increases the revving ability of the engine at the same time. The forces acting on the front and rear wings are transferred by ultralight but very solid titanium elements. They weigh a mere 600 grams at the front and an astounding 325 grams at the rear.

A worldwide innovation is the morphable outer skin of the intake scoop on the roof, which provides active airflow optimisation. If the vehicle is driven at a slow speed, the surface of the scoop remains smooth. In contrast, a field of bubbles bulges out when driven at fast speeds. This reduces the aerodynamic drag of the scoop by 10 percent and ensures a 17 percent reduction in lift forces. In addition, the flow onto the rear wing is optimised. At 320 km/h, the downforce is at 1,800 kilograms at the rear wing and 800 kilograms at the front wing.

As in Formula 1, the Bolide decelerates with racing brakes with ceramic discs and coatings. The brake callipers weigh only 2.4 kilograms each. The front forged magnesium rims with central lock weigh 7.4 kilograms, while the ones at the rear weigh 8.4 kilograms – with a very wide tyre size of 340 millimetres on the front axle and 400 millimetres on the rear axle (Chiron: 285 mm at the front and 355 mm at the rear). A compressed-air-driven jack system with four rams makes tyre changing easier, a quick refuelling system allows pressure refuelling.

Among other things, a push rod kinematics system with horizontal dampers ensures precise handling. The oil reservoirs are arranged inside the dampers, which improves aerodynamics. Weighing only 100 grams, the push-rods are designed as a thin-walled and flow-optimised titanium lightweight construction with a buckling load of 3.5 tonnes, which corresponds to a dry weight of nearly two Chirons. The welded control arms made of aerospace-grade stainless steel have a tensile strength of 1,200 newtons per square millimetre and are also designed as wing profiles.

Light monocoque made of carbon

The Bugatti team developed a light monocoque made of carbon around the drive. The integral front end flanged to it is also made of high-strength carbon fibres, as are the fully aerodynamically effective underbody and the monocoque itself. The single-fibre tensile strength of the fibres used is 6,750 newtons per square millimetre, the single-fibre stiffness is 350,000 newtons per square millimetre. These represent figures that are only reached in the aerospace industry. The rear frame, designed as a welded steel assembly, offers a maximum tensile strength of 1,200 newtons per square millimetre, despite a wall thickness of only 1 millimetre – this is made possible by the use of high-strength stainless steel, which is otherwise only used in aviation.

With an overall height of only 995 millimetres, the Bugatti Bolide is exactly the same height as the historic Bugatti Type 35, depending on the steering wheel and truncated windscreen, and about 300 millimetres flatter than the Chiron. The wheelbase is 2.75 metres and the width 1.99 metres. Like in an LMP1 racing car, the occupants fold up the doors that are hinged at the front at an angle, sit on a sill that is only 70 millimetres wide, as in a Type 35, and then position their feet in the interior. Thanks to a side wall that is about 150 millimetres lower than that of the Type 35, the procedure is quick and easy – for drivers up to a body height of 2 metres.

Safety is ensured with safety equipment designed in accordance with FIA regulations. These include HANS device compatibility, an automatic fire extinguishing system, a towing device, pressure refuelling with fuel bladder, central locks for the wheels, lightweight polycarbonate windows, and a six-point harness system. The monocoque side floors with integrated carbon coolant pipes are simultaneously designed as side impact structures and structural reinforcement of the monocoque. The driver can see all the relevant data on a motorsport display. For an optimum sitting position, both the pedals and the passenger footrest can be moved by 150 millimetres.

The design – the quintessence of form follows performance

The experimental study of the Bugatti Bolide is also a very special project for Achim Anscheidt, Director of Design at Bugatti. “In my 16 years at Bugatti, I have never worked on a more extreme concept.” The design of the Bolide is radically tailored to the idea of lightweight construction, and the design principle therefore follows on from the overriding goal of achieving a fascinating weight-to-power ratio of 0.67 kilograms per PS.

“It is the very first time that my team had the freedom of creating an absolutely minimalistic design around the W16 engine. The result is the most provocative proportion of a modern Bugatti ever and the distilled quintessence of our Bugatti design ethos that form follows performance,” says Anscheidt. “The Bugatti Bolide, however, is a project more technically driven than shaped by style.”

The stylistic challenge was to transform the unyielding demands of aerodynamics and lightweight construction into an aesthetic that reflects the unique Bugatti DNA, but at the same time illustrates the ambition of an impressive weight-to-power ratio. The overall appearance is dominated by air ducts that are more reminiscent of aerodynamically sophisticated Formula 1 racing cars than classic sports cars. The seemingly filigree and half-open front end is a striking example of the combination of air duct expertise, lightweight construction requirements, and aesthetic dynamics.

The dramatic effect of the overall proportions is made clear by the aerodynamically favourable overall height of only 995 millimetres. The driver’s ultra-sporty seating permits the low-slung shape of an automotive low-flying aircraft. It is therefore not surprising that the appearance of the Bugatti Bolide invokes the so-called X-planes of aviation history and shows a clear X signature from every perspective. It is indirectly reminiscent of the Bell X-1 jet aircraft which was flown by Captain Charles “Chuck” Yeager 1947, the first person to break the sound barrier at Mach 1.06. The Bugatti Bolide “X-periment” has the shape of an aerodynamically optimised, uncompromising racing car and offers ultra-sporty, superlative performance – with no hint of luxury.

As with other Bugatti vehicles, the Bugatti design team also makes use of a colour split in the Bolide. Compared with other models, the share of visible carbon parts is increased by up to 60 percent. Only around 40 percent of the surfaces are painted – in a re-interpretation of the historic French Racing Blue.

“Fifteen years ago, Bugatti succeeded in creating a new segment with the Veyron 16.4: that of the superior hyper sports car. With the Chiron launched in 2016, we systematically developed this segment further. The models bear witness to power and elegance, uniquely combining technology, design, luxury, and quality in a hitherto unknown combination,” explains Anscheidt. “In contrast, the Bugatti Bolide is an absolute rebel. It is clear to see that its only aim is to convey the pure power of the W16 engine in a visually and technically unadulterated form. Reduced, raw, and authentic – like freshly-caught sashimi”.

The DNA – Bugatti Type 35

With the Type 35, Bugatti produced one of the most successful racing cars of all time. The open-top sports car achieved over 2,000 victories between 1924 and 1930. Today, the Type 35 is a legend in racing history. It was inimitable in terms of technology, design, and performance in its time – and still is today. Ettore Bugatti used a double roller bearing and triple ball bearing crank mechanism for the first time. This allowed the engine to rotate at up to 6,000 rpm to move the eight pistons. Two carburettors increased the power to an initial 95 PS. With this engine, the first Type 35 cars were able to reach speeds of over 190 km/h. In the later Type 35 B evolutionary models with a 2.3-litre eight-cylinder engine and compressor, the power output increased to 140 PS, and the Bugatti achieved a top speed of more than 215 km/h.

As well as their incredible power, the engines were primarily renowned for their reliability and endurance. And their lightness. Ettore Bugatti did not compromise when it came to lightweight construction and best possible driveability. He developed special smooth-running wheels to reduce the unsprung masses and, as a result, improve the response of the suspension. The new hollow-bored and forged front axle weighed only 10 kilograms and was nevertheless still stable. A race-ready Bugatti Type 35 weighed only around 750 kilograms. A masterpiece in terms of the weight-to-power ratio.

The verdict – a track-oriented thoroughbred of modern times

The Bugatti Bolide is the unrivalled technological concept of a track-focused Bugatti hyper sports car. The combination of 1,850 PS and 1,240 kilograms dry weight ensures an unbelievable weight-to-power ratio. This puts the Bolide with its W16 engine at the absolute pinnacle in terms of combustion engines used in automotive engineering. “For the first time, we are showing what the W16 engine is really capable of. We have freed the vehicle of all baggage and have illustrated and combined the engine with the lightest possible chassis to create the ultimate Bugatti and to ensure the ultimate driving experience. With the Bolide, we are presenting our interpretation of a Bugatti track car of modern times to Bugatti enthusiasts all over the world and finally make their most fervent wishes come true,” explains Stephan Winkelmann.

Whether the Bugatti Bolide will go into series production, has not been decided yet.

 

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Evo Yachts launches the new R6 Open in Cannes

Evo Yachts, the brand owned by the Blu Emme Yachts shipyard, participates in the Cannes Yachting Festival 2020 with a world premiere: Evo R6 Open.

Born from the pen of designer Valerio Rivellini, the new 18-meter is the open version of Evo R6, the successful flagship of the R range, introduced last year also in Cannes, from which it incorporates the elegance of the design and the flexibility of the spaces.

Evo Yachts launches the new R6 Open in Cannes

Evo Yachts launches the new R6 Open in Cannes

Compared to the classic version, the new Open is distinguished by a steel Roll-Bar, instead of the T-Top, consisting of a suspended wing that acts as a link between the two uprights. The result is a design with sporty and streamlined lines, which gives an idea of ​​lightness. The search for lightness is evident even in the small details, such as the choice not to place the antennas above the aileron, but to ‘raise them’ so as to make them an integral element in the structure design


A retractable awning guarantees shade both on the driving seat and in the front cockpit, equipped with a large dining area, illuminated at night by the courtesy lights on the Roll-Bar, which create suggestive plays of light. Three more are added to this outdoor area: from the large sundeck at the bow, with a sofa in front of the island sundeck of the beach lounge, to the stern beach where the modular platform ensures a variety of uses.

As with all models in the Evo Yachts range, the beach lounge is the most characteristic area of ​​the boat, thanks to the “XTension” side panels, the shipyard’s trademark, which, opening laterally in a few seconds, increase the space available to the 40 %. The width of the central sundeck is such as to allow a 2.85 meter tender to be housed under it.

The layout of Evo R6 Open is an invitation to conviviality and relaxation in an immersive experience with the surrounding environment. Although it is a pure open, however, all the comforts and the ample heights below deck are guaranteed: in addition to the dinette there is space for the owner’s cabin, the two doubles for guests aft, and 2 bathrooms.

With dual engine options, 2 x Volvo Penta IPS 800 or 950, Evo R6 Open ensures a maximum speed of 35 knots and 280 miles of range.

Evo Yachts sarà al Cannes Yachting Festival (8-13 settembre 2020) 

Stand – QSP147

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Rolls-Royce Collection Cars – The Wraith Kryptos collection a labyrinth of complex ciphers

Rolls-Royce Collection Cars are poetic embodiments of artistry and skill, envisioned at the hands of the marque’s accomplished designers. They are illustrative of the Bespoke Collective’s mastery of their craft, and extremely limited in number. Incorporating only the finest materials and contemporary applications, Rolls-Royce Collection Cars are executed with creative passion and technical precision.

THE WRAITH KRYPTOS COLLECTION A LABYRINTH OF COMPLEX CIPHERS

Rolls-Royce Collection Cars are poetic embodiments of artistry and skill, envisioned at the hands of the marque’s accomplished designers. They are illustrative of the Bespoke Collective’s mastery of their craft, and extremely limited in number. Incorporating only the finest materials and contemporary applications, Rolls-Royce Collection Cars are executed with creative passion and technical precision. These cars capture clients’ imaginations around the world, joining the chronicles of some of the greatest and most storied Rolls-Royces ever to have been created.

Design is naturally the starting point for these endeavours. For the new Wraith Kryptos Collection, one designer’s passion for cryptography led to Wraith becoming a willing canvas for an intricate and clandestine design. The Wraith Kryptos Collection, which will consist of just 50 motor cars, incorporates a labyrinth of complex ciphers into its beguiling façade.

Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, Katrin Lehmann, commented, “The name Kryptos is derived from Ancient Greek, referring to something unseen, hidden and coded, mythical even. Ciphers can be traced through millennia, capturing the imagination of some of the world’s most brilliant minds.

As a designer, I’ve always been fascinated by the notion that you can communicate messages that are understood by only an elite few, using symbols, pictograms, and ciphers. Finding the key becomes integral to appreciating the full meaning of an item that can otherwise be viewed simply as a work of art.”


The Wraith Kryptos Collection carries within it an encrypted cipher that evolves throughout the car for the clients’ pleasure and amusement, leading them on a journey of discovery and intrigue. To the uninitiated, these ciphers appear, on the surface at least, to be an alluring design purely for aesthetic purposes and devoid of any discernible pattern. However, for those that look closer, those few who hold the key, they will embark on an experience that leads to an enlightening conclusion.


Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “The brilliant and creative minds of our Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective have excelled once again, creating an extraordinarily contemporary and compelling iteration of Wraith. The Wraith Kryptos Collection, on first glance, is a statement of dynamism. On closer examination, a series of messages are hidden behind a unique Rolls-Royce cipher. I look forward to seeing whether any of our clients will crack the code!”


Indeed, the code is so secret that only two people at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood know the full resolution of the sequence – the designer and the Chief Executive. The answer has been placed in a sealed envelope, in the safe of the Chief Executive Officer, at the Home of Rolls-Royce, in Goodwood, West Sussex. Clients will be invited to submit their efforts at cracking the code via the members only Rolls-Royce Application, Whispers.

The cryptographic journey begins with the Spirit of Ecstasy, which has graced the bonnet of the marque’s motor cars for over a century. An engraving with green enamel detailing introduces the Rolls-Royce cipher on the base of the enigmatic figurine. Below, recrafted bumper inserts draw the eye lower, subtly modifying both the gesture and posture of Wraith, giving this Collection an identity of its own.


The alluring colourway of the Collection hints at the car’s inner-most secrets. Delphic Grey, a Bespoke exterior hue consisting of a solid Anthracite base colour has a hidden effect – only in sunlight do the blue and green mica flakes appear. This effect is accentuated by a hand-painted double coachline, the upper being painted in the newly developed Kryptos Green while the lower acts as a shadow in Dark Grey, both depicting clues relating to the interior code. Completing the exterior aesthetic are part polished wheels, with Orbit Grey coloured centres featuring a coloured pinstripe.

Inside, stepping over the illuminated treadplates, the cipher evolves deep into the fabric of the motor car. One is immediately greeted by the accented Bespoke Kryptos Green leather hue, which has been developed to incorporate a metallic effect, set against either Selby Grey or Anthracite. In perhaps the most apparent clue, elements of the cipher are embroidered into Wraith’s headrests, where the customary ‘double-R’ emblem can so often be found. For the driver’s enjoyment, an intriguing screen print flows across the metal fascia, spanning the width of the interior.


Enrapturing Wraith’s occupants with light, Wraith Kryptos Collection features a beautifully elaborate, bi-coloured headliner depicting an in-motion data-stream inspired motif. Illuminated door pockets continue this theme with Rolls-Royce woven leather and Kryptos Green threads to reveal an unexpected and subtle illumination that fades towards the base of the pocket. The centre tunnel is exquisitely stitched, repeating the horizontal lines of the door pockets, also hinting towards the driver focused nature of this special motor car.

Rolls-Royce is delighted to unveil this new generation of Collection Car; one that brings with it an intriguing and entertaining challenge, that will be sure to delight. Who will crack the code? And what answers will the code bring? Only time will tell. Or will it?

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DYNAMIQ X KASSEN - TRANSFORMING GTM 90. KLASSEN EDITION
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SUPERYACHT DYNAMIQ X KASSEN – TRANSFORMING GTM 90. KLASSEN EDITION

The fast & sporty yacht GTM 90 was developed not only to entertain, but also protect guests whatever the weather. The main aft deck and sun deck provide ample space for lounging open air and the beach club, spa, dining area and open-style galley with bar can be transformed with foldable bulwarks to allow a fresh sea breeze in. The striking exterior styling recalls the lines of modern supercars and a super-efficient hard chine hull delivers a top speed of 30+ knots with a range of 800nm at 17 knots.

DYNAMIQ X KASSEN – TRANSFORMING GTM 90. KLASSEN EDITION

Developed in collaboration with German tuner Klassen, Dynamiq’s GTM 90 draws heavily from automotive design. The sleek superstructure has supercar-like lines, and with three Volvo Penta IPS-1350 engines, it can hit speeds of over 30 knots while offering a range of 800 nautical miles at its 17-knot cruising speed.

DYNAMIQ X KASSEN - TRANSFORMING GTM 90. KLASSEN EDITION

DYNAMIQ X KASSEN – TRANSFORMING GTM 90. KLASSEN EDITION

It was designed with cooler climates in mind; as such, a series of sliding doors and foldable bulwarks can transform the aft beach club, dining area, and open galley from an open-air oasis to a warm, cozy retreat in seconds. Four cabins are spread across the lower deck, including a spacious master suite with a circular bed from Bentley home and an onyx bath with custom.

The first edition of the GTM 90 is being developed in collaboration with leading VIP-car tuner Klassen with interior decor that mirrors the design of exclusive Klassen vans with different leathers, rich wood panelling and elegant LED courtesy lights. Klassen will also be responsible for all the exterior detailing, including leather supply, stitching and other special automotive design features.

BUILD YOUR OWN
“Dynamiq and Klassen share the same values related to high-end materials, engineering, finishing and maximum comfort on board for their demanding clientele. It’s all about flawless perfection and first-class comfort on land and sea.”
Paul Klassen, founder & CEO
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Bentley Mulliner Bacalar Roadster

  • Most exclusive and bespoke Bentley of the modern era revealed at Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe, England
  • Two-seat Bacalar marks return to bespoke coachbuilding for Bentley Mulliner – the oldest coachbuilding company in the world
  • Bentley Mulliner announces new three-portfolio future: Classic, Collections and Coachbuilt
  • ‘Barchetta’ design delivers the ultimate expression of open-top, driver-focused grand touring
  • Enhanced 6.0-litre W12 TSI engine produces 659 PS (650 bhp)
  • Just 12 distinctive cars to be designed, engineered and handcrafted to individual customers’ tastes – all already allocated
  • Design DNA and sustainable materials inspired by the EXP 100 GT concept car, launched last summer to celebrate Bentley’s centenary
  • Sustainable craftsmanship and ethically-sourced materials includes rice husk ash paint and 5,000-year-old Riverwood
  • Bacalar to be produced in world’s first certified carbon neutral factory for luxury car production
  • Ultra-modern design includes extreme wrap-around cockpit and semi-enclosed rear compartment for bespoke Schedoni luggage

BACALAR SPEARHEADS BENTLEY MULLINER’S RETURN TO THE PINNACLE OF COACHBUILDING

Bentley Mulliner Bacalar Roadster

(Crewe, March 2020) Bentley Mulliner has revealed the all-new Bacalar at the home of Bentley in Crewe, England this morning. The rarest two-door Bentley of the modern era, and the ultimate expression of two-seat, open-air luxury, this definitive Grand Tourer spearheads a return to coachbuilding by Bentley Mulliner – the oldest coachbuilder in the world.

Just 12 examples of this striking, limited edition model are being created, guaranteeing rarity and exclusivity, and offering supreme luxury and breath-taking performance. Bacalar looks to the future of bespoke luxury motoring – each model will be handcrafted in Bentley Mulliner’s workshop in Crewe, according to the individual customer’s personal tastes.

This exceptionally rare car is appropriately named after Laguna Bacalar in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, a lake renowned for its breath-taking natural beauty, continuing Bentley’s strategy of naming cars after remarkable landmarks which started with Bentayga in 2015.

Bacalar has been brought to life by Bentley Mulliner, reviving its specialism in providing rare coach-built cars to only a few discerning customers. A roofless Barchetta design with all-new and highly muscular coachwork, embracing a myriad of options and materials, each Bacalar will be truly unique, the result of direct interaction between the Bentley Mulliner design team and the individual customer.

The most exclusive two-door Bentley of the modern era launches a new Bentley Mulliner operation, and forms part of a new strategy for the world’s oldest coachbuilder that will see the division offer three different portfolios: Classic, Collections and Coachbuilt.

Bentley Mulliner has an illustrious history and can proudly trace its roots back to the 1500s when the company’s original focus was customising luxurious, horse-drawn carriages. The remarkable Bacalar is therefore the culmination of almost 500 years of expertise and heritage in the art of vehicle design.

Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors, comments:

“The Bentley Mulliner Bacalar is our ultimate expression of an open-top, luxury grand tourer, and of the immense capabilities of our team in Crewe.

“In Bacalar, we have created a fully bespoke Bentley, orientated towards a two seat open top experience, and carrying a number of the forward thinking elements of future luxury, first heralded in our EXP100GT as part of our Centenary celebrations last year.

“Bacalar is a rare and remarkable Bentley, and whilst clearly defined, will be an extraordinary and collaborative experience for just twelve discerning people who will now co-create, collect, drive and treasure one of twelve being built.

“Our customers are as excited as we are about Bacalar, as it brings our team and discerning enthusiasts together, to create the finest bespoke, hand-built cars, and push the boundaries of our imagination and capabilities.”

A masterpiece of craftsmanship, the Bacalar is a seamless fusion of materials with an intelligent curation of technology. It draws on design DNA from the beautifully sculpted, award-winning EXP 100 GT which was recently crowned ‘Most Beautiful Concept Car of the Year’ at the prestigious French Festival Automobile International and ‘Concept Car of the Year’ by GQ magazine.

A statement of purpose for the future, Bacalar now propels Bentley into a new century of extraordinary, as the design team has envisaged the most dynamically sculpted model to date. The dramatic, tapered cowls at the rear hark back to the Barchetta sports cars of old, whilst underlining the promise of a dynamic, driver-focussed adventure in a cosseting, cocooned environment.

Pure in line and execution, the distinctive, wraparound cockpit flows from a new, steeply angled centre console seamlessly into the dashboard and doors. These then wrap rearwards towards the semi-enclosed luggage compartment behind the two seats.

Sustainable, ethically-sourced materials previewed in the EXP 100 GT concept car last year have now become reality in the Bacalar – just eight months after first being previewed. These include paint containing ash from rice husks, which provides a sustainable way of delivering a rich metallic finish, natural British wool and 5,000-year-old Riverwood sourced from the ancient Fenlands of East Anglia.

The Bacalar features an enhanced version of Bentley’s peerless 6.0-litre, W12 TSI engine. The most advanced 12-cylinder engine in the world, it produces 659 PS (650 bhp) and 900 Nm (667 lb.ft) of torque.

An advanced Active All-Wheel-Drive System varies the torque split between front and rear wheels. It allows the Bacalar to use rear-wheel drive as much as possible during normal driving for optimum efficiency and dynamic performance. The drivetrain is at the heart of the Bacalar, creating the ultimate open-air, two-seat luxury Grand Tourer available in the world today.

All examples of the exquisite Bentley Mulliner Bacalar have already been allocated to customers from around the world.

Bentley Mulliner Returns To Coachbuilding

With the Bacalar, customers will again have the ability to work closely with a team of specialist designers to enhance their vehicle with a selection of unique materials and specially curated options. The Bacalar will be the first – but other new bespoke Bentleys will follow as part of the Bentley Mulliner Coachbuilt portfolio – one of three new divisions of the Bentley Mulliner organisation.

The Bentley Mulliner Classic offering was introduced last year with the announcement that Bentley’s 1929 Team Blower is to be reborn with a new build of 12 supercharged 4½-litre examples of the iconic car. These models, each individually handcrafted by a team of specialists from Bentley Mulliner, will form the world’s first pre-war race car continuation series. This subdivision of Mulliner also completed an immaculate restoration of the 1939 Bentley Corniche last year.

The third arm of the business – Bentley Mulliner Collections – will continue to offer customers luxury-focused derivatives of the core Bentley range, such as the new Continental GT Mulliner Convertible, as well as the opportunity to personalise their new Bentley.  An expansive number of options is available across the full line-up of current production cars – from unique colour-matched paint, hide and thread combinations, to bespoke feature content.

Tracy Crump, Bentley Mulliner’s Head of Commercial Operations, comments:

“While Bentley’s motto is ‘Be Extraordinary’, at Bentley Mulliner we look to take it one step further, ‘Beyond Extraordinary’. With the new Bacalar we have been able to do exactly that, providing a select number of customers with the opportunity to express their personal taste in a truly remarkable grand tourer. Meanwhile, Bentley Mulliner Classic will breathe new life into the most iconic cars from our past, while our Collections team continue their work to offer a bespoking service to each and every Bentley customer.”

Bacalar – A Dynamically-Sculpted Design For The Future

The new Bentley Mulliner Bacalar is a genuine ‘roofless’ Barchetta – a luxury, two-seat, open-air performance car, the likes of which has never been seen before. Handcrafted to the individual customer’s personal tastes, Bacalar is the ultimate expression of an open-top Grand Tourer: a spirited GT combining traditional handcrafted techniques with the latest cutting-edge technology.

The Bacalar shares no body panel with any other car in the Bentley model line-up and derives inspiration from the dramatic EXP 100 GT concept car conceived to mark the company’s centenary last year. Indeed, it only shares one exterior component with a Continental GT – the door handle, simply because it contains the keyless entry system.

Stefan Sielaff, Bentley’s Director of Design, comments:

“You can clearly see echoes of the EXP 100 GT in the Bacalar, as well as the influence of the past. Bentley has a rich history of open-cockpit cars – the design of the Birkin Blower Bentley of the late 1920s was also an inspiration. We needed to push the boundaries as far as possible – customers were asking what Bentley’s take on a more expressive-looking car at this price point would look like. We were also tasked with starting to deliver on Bentley’s promise to use sustainable materials. Within less than a year of revealing our future-focused concept, we have already delivered on this promise.”

The rear clamshell and top deck of the Bacalar are crafted from lightweight aluminium, while the doors and wings are carbon fibre. Combined with the use of three-dimensional printing, it has allowed designers to create an even more distinctive car.

The Bacalar sits on extended haunches, with the rear track 20 mm wider than a Continental GT, to provide a more muscular, sporting stance. They house bespoke, 22-inch tri-finish wheels with dramatic depth and contour on the road. The unique front and rear horizontal lights add the distinctive, dynamic character that was first seen on the EXP 100 GT.

Instead of a traditional badge, Bentley designers went the extra mile to find a special way to identify the car. Uniquely, the Bacalar name appears on the rear panel, ‘hidden’ behind the lacquer of sustainable rice husk paint, with the capital ‘A’s influencing the contours of the lower bumper area.

The exterior look of each model will be completed in collaboration with individual customers, who are able to further personalise their car, choosing from rare paint options, exterior treatments and design themes. The Bacalar represents a return to the exciting early years of Bentley, allowing owners to help shape the car of their dreams.

A Unique Wraparound Cockpit

Inside the luxurious cabin, Bentley craftspeople have created a cockpit like no other. The architecture of the Bacalar has allowed Bentley Mulliner designers to seize the opportunity to create a theme that not only blends the interior and exterior together but also emphasises the two-seater character with a ‘wraparound’ cockpit design.

Pure in line and surface execution, the wraparound design flows from a steeply angled centre console into the dashboard, before sweeping into the door panels. These then wrap towards a uniquely styled, semi-enclosed luggage compartment behind the seats.

This ingenious space is purposely designed for bespoke Schedoni fitted luggage, the Italian company that has designed luxury luggage for the automotive industry for almost 140 years. Created exclusively for the Bacalar, the optional luggage perfectly matches the trim and materials of the cabin. These two luggage ‘pods’ flow from the interior into the exterior, enveloping the seats and creating a true two-seater cabin.

Uniquely designed details and features in the cabin emphasise the coach-built character of the car, with an almost infinite number of ways for customers to express their personal taste and commission a unique interior.

Every detail has been uniquely designed. A new, knurled pattern was created for the iconic ‘bullseye’ vents – a pattern that was repeated around the interior on areas like the steering wheel controls, media and climate controls and even the intricate speaker frets. Each element has a fine, Dark Bronze detail to further enhance the finish, with Midnight Black Titanium detailing.

The dark, anodised titanium finish on the main controls and a metallic dark bronze on the iconic Bulls-eye air vents have been used to highlight further details.

The interior can be finished in any number of ways, with each car co-created and commissioned in conjunction with the Bentley Mulliner team. Every car will be individually specified and finished using any of the many Bentley colours and materials available.

The finest Beluga leather is carefully sewn together with Bentley’s heritage semi-gloss leather and natural wool to create a dark ‘tone-on-tone’ character. For the first demonstration car, the use of Bentley Mulliner’s Khamun accent leather highlights the wraparound cabin theme and matches the new and unique Yellow Flame exterior paintwork perfectly.

Every element that falls to hand has been specifically designed for the Bacalar. A new D-shaped steering wheel features Alcantara inserts, with a contrast accent top marker. The gear-shifter is also finished in Alcantara with Dark Bronze detailing. Unique leather strap door and seat releases, unique digital instrumentation and a unique key design enhance the luxurious cabin still further.

At the heart of the centre console is the now famous Bentley Rotating Display. This digital MMI display has been elegantly designed by Bentley with a customer-configurable home screen. The system involves 40 moving parts and revolves the Riverwood veneer when the engine is started to reveal the high-resolution touchscreen.

Three configurable windows are able to display the driver’s preferred functions, such as telephone, media and navigation. The interface is designed to operate like a modern smartphone, with menus that are structured and simple to follow. The third side of the Bentley Rotating Display presents three, elegant analogue dials that display outside temperature, a compass and chronometer – providing an alternative to the touchscreen when the driver wants to digitally detox.

Each car also features a unique clock face with individual one-of-12 badging.

Owning a Bacalar is the start of a journey of discovery for the owner. Every element has been carefully and meticulously designed with a depth so great that over the course of time, each customer will discover new and interesting details.

From the use of precious inlays and unique finishes to the driver controls, to the 148,199 individual stitches needed to embroider the unique Bacalar quilt on each seat, owners will find details and parts not seen before on a Bentley.

Sustainable Craftsmanship And Ethically-Sourced Materials

Bentley has entered into collaborative relationships with carefully selected industry experts to create the new Bacalar. Each one uses sustainable and innovative techniques that exemplify the best craftsmanship that the world has to offer, in many cases fine-tuned over centuries, and using ethically-sourced materials.

A focal point of the cabin is the wraparound dashboard cut from rare Riverwood, a sustainable wood from naturally fallen trees that has been preserved for 5,000 years in peat bogs, lakes and rivers found in the Fenlands of East Anglia, England.

This exquisite wood was chosen for its striking black aesthetic, the result of lying untouched in wet earth for thousands of years. The wood has been air-dried in a controlled environment over a long period of time to prevent damage and conserve its unique, natural characteristics. The straight grain enhances the Bacalar’s sweeping interior contours, giving it genuine soul and drama.

Once veneered, the dashboard is literally sliced in two, creating an upper and lower element divided by a 3mm chrome strip. The upper Riverwood is finished as open pore – a semi-matt finish that shows off the veneer’s grain and colour.

The lower panels are a high gloss finish but with a modern twist to the traditional process. The Bacalar’s lower dashboard blends seamlessly from veneer into a high gloss piano black, further underlining the unique and bespoke finishes that are available. Because the Bacalar has no roof, this stunning marquetry is clearly visible from outside the car.

Bentley Mulliner has also collaborated with a traditional British textile mill to produce bespoke natural wool cloth akin to a fine tailor’s suit. Bentley Mulliner has embraced the expertise and knowledge of these centuries-old methods to create an exclusive and unique woven cloth especially for the Bacalar, and customers will have the option to co-create their own bespoke fabric blend.

This traditionally-produced textile is used in the seat inserts, seat backs and the side of the head restraints. Following the interior styling lines, it also flows from the side of the centre console and lower instrument panel into the doors.

Further promoting sustainable craftsmanship and supporting a unique industry, the luxury overmats are precision woven on traditional Wilton looms in England using the finest natural yarns.  These Wilton-woven pure wool deep pile carpets are hand-carved for the footwell and rear luggage compartment, following the embroidered pattern found on the seats.

Thanks to a partnership with another local supplier, based in the nearby Peak District, the Bacalar also offers customers the rare opportunity to create individual artisan piping, chosen to enhance the dynamic styling lines of the seat architecture. This piping can be designed and customised to feature unique patterns, colour combinations and personal embossed effects, such as a customer’s signature or special, individual customer motifs.

Even the paintwork on the Bacalar has been specially chosen for its sustainable characteristics. The pigment reflects an eye-catching transition of colour that intensifies the drama, form and contours of the sculpted exterior in different lights.

The pigment is synthetically-manufactured silicon dioxide platelet coated with iron oxide. This synthetic process uses rice husk ash – a by-product from the rice industry – to create 90 per cent pure silicon dioxide, thereby reducing rice husk landfill waste.

Each Bacalar will be hand-crafted in Mulliner’s dedicated workshop at the Bentley factory in Crewe – the world’s first certified carbon neutral factory for luxury car production.

A Unique Driving Experience

The Bentley Bacalar combines bespoke, hand-crafted luxury with state-of-the-art technology to guarantee an extraordinary driving experience.

With all-new coachwork brought to life by Bentley Mulliner, at the heart of the Bacalar is Bentley’s renowned 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12 TSI engine mated to a technically-advanced drivetrain.

The Bacalar’s dual-clutch, eight-speed transmission offers faster, more efficient gear changes. An adaptive chassis uses Bentley’s intelligent, 48-volt Dynamic Ride System to ensure a responsive ride and exceptional handling and refinement in all conditions.

The air suspension system controls ride comfort and lateral roll, cushioning passengers from excessive movement, as well as making the Bacalar feel effortlessly precise.

The Legend Of Mulliner

The legend of Mulliner is woven into the very fabric of Bentley. The tradition of bespoke craftsmanship has been passed down from generation to generation since the 1500s, when Mulliner was founded as a saddler.

In the 1760s, the Mulliner family business refocused on coachbuilding and rose to prominence when it was commissioned to build and maintain carriages for the Royal Mail postal service. With the arrival of the motor car, the company stepped away from horse-drawn carriages and focussed on coachbuilding for mechanical propulsion.

The then independent Mulliner crafted a bespoke, 3-litre, two-seater Bentley for the 1923 Olympia Show in London, creating a bond between the two companies that would last for decades. Mulliner bodied over 240 Bentley chassis in the 1920s alone and became renowned as the very best of the new coachbuilding firms.

Perhaps the most famous was Mulliner’s design for the 1952 R-Type Continental, still considered one of the most beautiful cars of all time. The fastest, four-seat sports car of the era, the R-Type’s iconic beauty continues to influence design today through the Bentley Continental GT.

Mulliner cemented its partnership with Bentley in 1959 by becoming part of the business. It later moved into the old engineering experimental department at Bentley headquarters in Crewe and has remained there ever since. Today, around 40 employees, ranging from specialists with over 40 years of Mulliner experience to apprentices learning the skills that have been honed over decades of manufacturing, work for the company.

 

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