Sunday, February 26, 2017

Bentley Kuala Lumpur officially opens its flagship showroom and previews the Continental GT Speed BLACK SPEED by Mulliner


Last friday I attended the official opening of Bentley Kuala Lumpur's new flagship showroom here in Kuala Lumpur. Wearnes Quest Sdn Bhd, who have been the official importers and distributors of Bentley automobiles in Malaysia since 2008 had invited favoured guests, customers and members of the media to the grand opening of the showroom at Etiqa Twins, located right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle.

Bentley Kuala Lumpur also premiered the Limited Edition Bentley Continental GT Speed: Black Speed by Mulliner, a mouthful, but a very special one no doubt. Limited to 20 examples, the very youngish looking Black Speed is exclusively available only to customers in South East Asia and Australasia. I heard that two of these has already been sold from about 5 units allocated for Malaysia. And prices for this car starts at RM1.93 million. 

Aside from this black stealth bomber looking grand tourer, the world’s first luxury SUV, Bentayga was also featured during the grand opening.

Also present at the launch were the watch manufacturer Breitling. They showcased the Breitling for Bentley collection, showing off the very, very newly launched Bentley Supersports B55 watch (the watch in the middle) with smartwatch pairing functions. Breitling’s partnership with Bentley is associated with the love of fine mechanisms, a passion for achievements and quest for technical and aesthetic excellence as well as the fact that Bentley automobiles have their interior clock made by Breitling.

The grand opening also featured the winning designs of the Bentley Be Extraordinary International School competition, a platform for International Schools to design a Bentley to be launched in 2050, in conjunction with the Education is GREAT campaign initiated by the British High Commission Kuala Lumpur. 

The new showroom is 6,400 square feet in size. It has the latest Bentley Corporate Identity. It is a bold, clear and contemporary in terms of looks that extends Bentley’s current styling and lifestyle concepts. It is a modern showroom that moves away from the Victorian drawing room image of old. 

So what of Bentley here in Malaysia? Well, from what I gather the brand is doing quite well here in Malaysia. 2016 was quite a splendid year for them as they sold about 40 units. Considering that prices start at RM1.5million and above for a brand new Bentley. It basically follows the trend that you may have heard where premium car brands have been hitting record numbers over the past year or so.

Bentley Kuala Lumpur is located at Lot 1.1, Ground Floor, Etiqa Twins, 11 Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur.

Ms Nadia Heng - Emcee for the evening.
 The Black Speed



The winning entry of the Bentley Be Extraordinary International School competition - the Bentley Paragon. It looks very un-Bentley. But I think it is more innovative in terms of design compared to the runner up below, which does look like a Bentley. 

 The people representing Breitling
 Guests being ushered in...




The Bentley Bentayga - prices start at RM1,792million. 

PRESS RELEASE
BENTLEY KUALA LUMPUR CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF NEW FLAGSHIP SHOWROOM

  • New home for Bentley in the heart of Kuala Lumpur's Golden Triangle
  • Malaysian premiere of Mulliner Limited Edition: GT Black Speed
  • New showroom represents contemporary interpretation of Bentley's rich 97-year history and designed to be the ultimate access to the world of Bentley
  • Bentley model range showcased during grand opening including Bentayga
(24 February 2017, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) 
When we took on the franchise in 2008, our vision was to strengthen the brand presence with the establishment of Bentley Kuala Lumpur as a city centre landmark. We did that with the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Gallery 8 years ago, and today marks another milestone for us” explained Jerry Lee, Managing Director of Wearnes Quest.

The new flagship retail space boasts a 6,400 square feet bold, clear and contemporary space, furnished with carefully selected, high quality materials and furniture that portends Bentley’s signature experience. The new showroom opens up the access and guidance to the world of Bentley, to which reflects Bentley’s rich 97-year heritage of signature craftsmanship and attention to detail.
This is a manifestation of our long term commitment to continue growing with and serving our very important customers and Bentley Motors,” Lee added.

The grand opening also premiered the Limited Edition Continental GT Speed: Black Speed by Mulliner, one of the most exclusive Bentleys ever produced. Limited to 20 examples, the Black Speed is exclusively available only to customers in South East Asia and Australasia.

The world’s first luxury SUV, Bentayga was also featured during the grand opening.
The new showroom has been designed to give our customers a bold, clear and contemporary vision of the Bentley brand, and is finished with the same level of luxury for which our cars are renowned,” comments David Jackson, Regional Manager of Bentley Motors, Asia Pacific. “With the help of our retail partner, Wearnes Quest, we have redefined the automotive retail environment, blending traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design to showcase the best of British luxury performance.”

Gabor Csurgai, Regional Managing Director of Wearnes Automotive Group commented, “With a 110-year automotive legacy and experience with brands that are synonymous with luxury performance and excellence, Wearnes’ investment and commitment to Bentley ascertains a stronger local presence in Malaysia, and a promise that our customers will receive nothing less than Bentley’s expectation of excellence.”

Among the prestigious launch, Breitling showcased the Breitling for Bentley collection, the Bentley Supersports B55, reflecting an exclusive universe where luxury and accomplishment converge. Breitling’s partnership with Bentley is associated with the love of fine mechanisms, a passion for achievements and quest for technical and aesthetic excellence.

The grand opening also featured the winning designs of the Bentley Be Extraordinary International School competition, a platform for International Schools to design a Bentley to be launched in 2050, in conjunction with the Education is GREAT campaign initiated by the British High Commission Kuala Lumpur.
The world of Bentley can now be experienced at their new home. Bentley Kuala Lumpur is located at Lot 1.1, Ground Floor, Etiqa Twins, 11 Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur.

Bentley Continental GT Speed – Black Speed by Mulliner
The GT Speed represents the pinnacle GT in the Bentley Continental Range. Powered by a W12 engine the GT Speed delivers the ultimate in performance. The Black Speed Limited Edition by Mulliner brings to life the powerful dynamic character of the GT Speed with unique styling additions.
It features a striking gloss red body kit and matrix surround as well as dark tint headlamps and tail lamps. The attention to detail is the epitome of modern British luxury, as seen with the hand painted red fine line on the door and rear haunch. The new Sports Directional Alloy wheel is treated to a gloss black finish.
True to Bentley’s history in craftsmanship, the interior of the car features the first-ever red finish for the ‘Engine Spin’ aluminium fascia panels. Other unique attributes of the Black Speed are the 12 o’clock stitch on the steering wheel, inspired by the Continental GT3-R and the red bezel around the Breitling clock, set into the red aluminium dashboard. The GT Design Seats by Mulliner are finished in Beluga and Hotspur, with "BLACK SPEED" stitched into the headrests, highlighting the fact that this is one of only 20 cars ever to be made. The words “BLACK SPEED” are inscribed on the exterior badge.

It takes 110 hours to handcraft each and every Continental GT at the Bentley factory in Crewe, Cheshire. The upgraded W12 engine applied to all Continental GT Speed models is entirely assembled by 30 dedicated Bentley colleagues over 12 hours.

Meanwhile, the sumptuous and unique interiors are handcrafted by the experts in Bentley’s Leather and Trim workshop. Each hide is carefully checked by eye before being stitched, shaped and finished entirely by hand, rivalling the quality of the finest furniture and precise tolerances of jewellery and watch craftsmanship.

Bentley Bentayga – The Bentley of SUVs
The Bentayga is Bentley’s fourth model line, establishing a new category of car – the luxury SUV. In the same way that the Continental redefined the idea of a Grand Tourer in 2002, the Bentayga has become the benchmark against which other SUVs are measured. The Bentayga establishes a new ultra-luxury segment, and is the fastest, most powerful, most luxurious and most exclusive SUV in the world.

A suite of state-of-the-art driver assistance systems and infotainment features designed to enhance safety, comfort and convenience make the Bentayga an innovative, advanced and connected luxury SUV.

The new Bentayga has the finest automotive interior in the world, with handcrafted wood and leather throughout – engineered with precise tolerances to deliver absolute perfection. The attention to detail is the epitome of modern British luxury, and is only achievable thanks to the exceptional skill of the workforce in Crewe, integrating traditional craftsmanship with modern production techniques and materials.

An all-new W12 engine combines efficiency and refinement with the luxury of unrivalled power and torque, resulting in the world’s most powerful and fastest SUV. With the new, advanced and light-weight powertrain delivering 608 PS and 900 Nm of torque, it means a 0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 301 km/h. A new and highly advanced Bentley chassis provides ride quality and refinement impervious to driving conditions, utilising an all-new air suspension system and a world-first 48V active anti-roll control system.

Bentley Flying Spur – The Ultimate Luxury Sedan

Bentley’s four-door luxury sedan, the Flying Spur range is made up of the flagship W12 S, the powerful W12, the luxurious V8 and the agile V8 S.

The athletic design of the Flying Spur combines traditional Bentley styling cues with a dynamic stance and contemporary details. Designed for comfort and refinement as well as effortless performance, the exquisite cabin features an on-board WiFi hotspot system, making the Flying Spur the ultimate luxury car for work or relaxation on the move.

It takes more than 130 hours to handcraft each and every Flying Spur at the Bentley factory in Crewe, England. The sumptuous and technically complex interiors are handcrafted by the experts in Bentley’s Wood and Leather and Trim workshops. Only the most highly figured areas of veneer are chosen, before being mirror matched and applied to the substrate, while each hide is carefully checked by hand and eye before being stitched, shaped and finished entirely by hand, rivalling the quality of the finest furniture and precise tolerances of jewellery and watch craftsmanship.

The styling of the Flying Spur established a new design character for Bentley’s performance sedan. An elegant direction is reflected by a lower, wider appearance with sharp lines and gently curvaceous surfaces. A lower roof line, deeply sculpted panels, precise feature lines and a muscular rear haunch give the Flying Spur an aggressive stance and a powerfully dynamic profile.

Class-leading entertainment and information technologies are married with traditional hand-crafted materials and stunning contemporary design to create the ultimate high-luxury sedan cabin.

Complementing the hand-crafted interior, the Flying Spur is equipped with carefully selected state-of-the-art technology, for both the driver and passengers. Central infotainment is controlled through a high resolution 8” touch-screen interface, complete with Bentley’s advanced satellite navigation system and Bluetooth connectivity, while infotainment features can be controlled by voice activation.

With outstanding ride comfort of vital importance, the independent computer-controlled air suspension of the Flying Spur was redesigned to maximise impact absorption and isolation.

Ends –

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