This opulent droptop is made from the most extensive single piece of wood ever installed on a car.
The new Grand Convertible by Mulliner, Bentley’s largest showroom worldwide, is currently on display at Dubai. It joins other high-end cars like the Mulsanne (standard and extended wheelbase) in this large venue. Crewe’s latest masterpiece may sound familiar to brand fans, as it was actually unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2014.
This was a concept that was based on the Mulsanne Speed pre-facelift. However, this stunning two-tone model is a production model. It started life as a Mulsanne Speed Speed before it lost its roof and was reduced by 10 centimeters (3.9in) after the doors. It is painted in a dominant Moroccan Blue with a Frosted Silver finish around the grille and for the windscreen frame.
It is distinguished by the beautiful piece of wood that was applied to the rear deck, as shown on the concept three years ago. It is the largest single-piece wood that has ever been installed on a car, according to Shmee. For this application, it was combined with metallic fins.
Based on the Mulsanne speed, the luxurious convertible is powered by a 6.75-liter biturbo V8 that produces 530 horsepower and 811 pounds-feet (1.100 Newton-meters). Although performance details are not available at the moment, it is safe to assume that they are irrelevant when dealing with this luxury convertible. To give an idea, the Mulsanne Speed can go from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 4.9 seconds, and it tops out at 193 mph (305 km/h). However, the Grand Convertible will likely not match these speeds as it is heavier than the Mulsanne Speed (2685 kg / 5,919 lbs).
The Grand Convertible was hand-built by Mulliner and will be limited in number to 19 units to honor Bentley’s creation in 1919. It will cost $3.5 million, and will be available to those who are able to purchase one starting in 2018. The last cars will be delivered in 2019.