Bentley Joins Celebrations for New James Bond Book with Collector’s Edition

In celebration of the upcoming release of Carte Blanche, the new James Bond book by Jeffery Deaver, publisher Hodder & Stoughton has joined forces with Bentley Motors to create an exclusive special edition that will be available in a strictly limited number of 500 copies. These are available for order from today, Tuesday 26 April 2011, exactly a month before the book reaches retailers' shelves.

The Bentley special edition of Carte Blanche encompasses the book in a polished aluminum case that evokes the Continental GT’s shape, with the metal skin designed to look like the car has risen from the desert sand. The book itself is wrapped in the same, high-quality white Nappa leather with red seams found inside the GT, while the pages are edged in red. In addition, the title of the book, the author’s name and the wings of the Bentley logo are embossed into the front and foil-blocked onto the spine, while the pages are said to have been “expertly cut and trimmed”.

The final topping of the special edition is a die-cut bullet hole that pierces pages of the book. Within the pages is a single polished 9mm bullet, individually marked with a number distinct to each of the 500 copies.

“The reader has the excitement of finding the bullet housed in the centre of the pages with the text positioned so that the reading experience is undisturbed,” said Bentley Senior Designer Brett Boydell. “I hope they find the book as exciting to hold and look at as the unfolding drama itself.”

The collector’s version of Carte Blanche is priced at £1,000 (about US$,1650 or €1,131 at today’s exchange rates) and is available for order through www.007carteblanchebentley.com.

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Bentley Launches Mulliner Styling Pack for Continental GT

Bentley’s new Continental GT is, without question, a coupe with imposing road presence. But the British firm wishes to offer its customers the opportunity to make their cars even more unique by launching a range of styling options named Mulliner Styling Specification Classic Pack.

This styling package consists of a front splitter, strakes integrated in the front intake grilles, side extension blades and a rear diffuser, all made from glossy black carbon-fibre.

If you think these are not enough, Bentley also offers more options such as a carbon-fibre rear spoiler and mirror covers, as well as dark mesh front wing vents and black 21-inch 7-spoke alloy wheels.

According to Bentley’s head of exterior design, Raul Pires, the Mulliner Styling Specification Classic Pack “with its sharper lines and darker, lower appearance underlines the iconic form of Bentley’s new GT, underscores its extrovert, flamboyant nature and delivers a more personalized, sportive interpretation of a luxurious and refined GT”.

The Classic Pack is already available to order, while the optional features will be available from the following autumn.

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China Becomes Bentley's No. 2 Market after Record Breaking Q1 Sales

Bentley Motors sold 396 cars in Mainland China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) in the first four months of 2011, an all-time record result for the Asian market. With this number, Bentley broke its previous record set just last year, by an amazing 66 percent increase in sales.

In 2010, Bentley delivered fewer than 1,000 cars in China, almost double than in 2009, with China becoming the third most important market for the luxury carmaker. But the results so far in 2011 mean China has outsold the United Kingdom for the first time in history, making the Asian country Bentley's second most important market after the United States. In fact, one in four Bentleys sold globally goes to China.

The sales record has largely been achieved before the arrival in China of the new Continental GT and Mulsanne, which means there is a lot of room for Bentley to improve its sales. Around 50 of the 396 cars sold in China were spoken for during the Shanghai auto show, with 25 of those being Continental GT models.

“Our Chinese customers, like the rest of the world, value Bentley’s history and our emphasis on the finest luxury, craftsmanship and automotive excellence. Although China has traditionally been a market for four-door cars such as the Mulsanne and the Continental Flying Spur, there is growing interest in the excitement, adrenalin and sheer fun of driving high performance sports car,” said Alasdair Stewart, Bentley's board member for sales and marketing.

To acknowledge China's importance to Bentley, the company is hosting its Worldwide Dealer Conference in Beijing, the first time that Bentley has held such an important event in Asia.

By Dan Mihalascu

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