Bentley has created a uniquely Kiwi one-off with the help of famed coachbuilding division Mulliner. And what better place to celebrate the arrival of the Bentley Bentayga Aoraki than in the heartland that inspired it.
First of all, no you can’t have it. It’s already gone. Purchased by an anonymous someone who clearly has an eye for the unique.
In as much as a Bentley Bentayga isn’t just any SUV, the Bentayga Aoraki edition you see here certainly isn’t just any Bentayga. This is a true one-of-one vehicle, commissioned by Bentley Auckland to receive the full Mulliner bespoke treatment, with New Zealand – or rather more specifically, our tallest peak – as the build inspiration.
Not to presume, but you’ve surely heard of Mulliner. What began as a carriage building business in the 1700s eventually morphed into H.J. Mulliner & Co; a car coachbuilding firm that came to prominence in concert with the development of the motor car in the early 20th Century.
During the first three or four decades of the Century, well-heeled motoring enthusiasts with an eye on something special (as opposed to a run-of-the-mill Austin Seven or Ford Popular, for example) would buy the chassis, powertrain and running gear from their manufacturer of choice. The body? That was the domain of the coachbuilder.
When Bentley was still owned by Rolls-Royce, the latter purchased Mulliner from the latest in a convoluted series of independent owners. Rolls also owned another coachbuilder called Park Ward, which is why you might occasionally stumble on a Rolls-Royce Phantom Mulliner Park Ward or a Bentley Continental Mulliner Park Ward at the servo. Or Concours d’Elegance at least.
When the two luxury carmakers parted ways, Mulliner moved to Crewe under the patronage of Bentley.
The Mulliner studio has been outputting both tastefully restrained and fabulously outrageous takes on Bentley’s models for customers ever since (and Bentley itself as well, such as the Batur and Bacalar design studies). These days another division, Mulliner Classic, also handles painstakingly detailed nut and bolt restorations of older Bentleys for customers, as well as building ‘Continuation’ series cars, such as the Bentley Blower Continuation replicas.
Potted history of the firm complete: let’s get back to present day. And some of the most jaw-dropping scenery our little country is capable of conjuring up.
While the alpine landscape of the Aoraki Mount Cook region is widescreen in nature, it’s the finer details in the Bentley Bentayga Aoraki that really speak volumes about the specialness of this vehicle.
There’s the lush exterior colour scheme for a start: a duotone of Anthracite over Cypress, matched with 22” duotone alloys (Cypress inlays paired with Beluga Gloss facia). The Aoraki edition’s ‘Blackline’ specification eliminates chrome in favour of black detailing, while the ‘Styling’ specification recreates components like the front splitter and side sills with a mirror-matched carbon fibre weave.
Even that most practical of accessories, the roofbox, is a Mulliner commission, featuring an ‘Aoraki Collection’ mountain inscription.
Opening the door – any door – of the Bentayga Aoraki, however, is where Mulliner’s magic touches are truly, subtly, revealed.
Step over the carbon fibre side sill with its hand painted Khumun pinstripe (being sure to remove your dirty hiking boots first of course) as well as the satin treadplates denoting this special edition, your eye is immediately drawn to the passenger side dashboard facia. Here, the car wears the exact coordinates (345950°S, 170.1418°E) of Aoraki Mount Cook's 3,724m peak.
The seats themselves are a work of art, showcasing a first-of-its-kind treatment for Mulliner on any commission anywhere in the world. The mountain landscape across the seatbacks has been achieved with ‘negative perforation’. This essentially means the graphic elements of the mountains have been made with leather that hasn’t been perforated at all. It’s rather clever.
And while the Bentayga Aoraki represents something unique, at its core it also remains a thoroughly capable SUV.
There’s no word from Bentley Auckland on whether the new owner enjoys a spot of mountain climbing, but he or she could still travel well into the foothills in their luxury steed.
This is because the Bentayga Aoraki is also specified with Bentley’s ‘All Terrain’ package, adding tech features for off-road driving, including four additional drive modes for various surfaces (Snow and Wet Grass, Dirt and Gravel, Mud, and Sand). Underneath, the vehicle features robust underfloor protection and there’s also a specific infotainment screen detailing vehicle info when off-road. The ‘All Terrain’ specification also adds a luggage management system to secure items in the boot when driving through rough terrain. The Bentayga Aoraki even features that most Kiwi of SUV accessories: a tow bar.
We could spend a great deal of time here, looking at both the stunning scenery and the Bentley Bentayga Aoraki itself. But its new owner awaits, so it’s time to hit the road. There are a lot of lofty peaks in this place. One wonders whether those fastidious geniuses at Mulliner could be convinced to journey back and soak up some inspiration for more?