► Bentley rolls out stone veneer trim
► Stone surfaces are 0.1m thick
► Available in four distinct colours
Not satisfied by wood, metal or leather dash trims? Bentley has unveiled a new option – stone veneer.
So, if you’d been considering a Continental or Flying Spur, you can now pick from four colours of stone veneer for the dashboard inlays.
Not sourced from Wickes, is it?
Unsurprisingly, no. Bentley says the slate and quartzite stone comes from quarries in India, before being shipped to the Mulliner personalisation team in Crewe for shaping and finishing.
The stone in the veneer panels ends up being 0.1mm thick, keeping them light and also making them translucent. That means you can see the grain in the stone, adding visual interest.
Has anyone done this before?
It’s not the first time stone’s been used in a car. Outside of Fred Flinstone’s ride of choice, a concept version of the DS4 was revealed in September 2015 that featured granite wheel spoke covers, mirror casings and roof bar inserts.
There might be more in the works, however. Geoff Dowding, Director of Mulliner Operations, said: “Stone veneers are another first for Bentley – but only the beginning of what we plan to do with this luxurious and unique material.”
