The all-new Bentley Flying Spur gets a three-dimensional wooden rear door for the first time. The three-dimensional wood is a world-first for the automotive sector. It features diamond-shaped pattern enhanced with a three-dimensional surface finish machined directly into the wood. The new option is one of the unique veneer choices from the Bentley Mulliner ‘Collections’ and forms a contemporary luxury design statement, bringing tactility to the natural beauty of wood. Each rear door and quarter panel is handcrafted from a single block of sustainable American Walnut or American Cherry timber, to offer a fine blend of traditional skills and modern technology.
The three-dimensional wooden parts are not made using veneers. Instead, each is created from a single block of timber. To achieve the three-dimensional surface, skilled operators carve the wood with a multi-axis routing machine to a tolerance of 0.1mm, less than the thickness of a human hair, hand-finishing the cuts for perfect results. An open-pore lacquer is then applied, allowing the true colour and texture of the wood to shine through for a refined, natural appearance.
The concept for 3D-machined wood was first shown in Bentley’s EXP 10 Speed 6 concept car at the Geneva Motor Show in 2015. The distinctive feature was inspired by the form of leather used for the diamond-quilted areas in Bentley’s Mulliner Driving Specification interior suite. This three-dimensional wood required 18 months of production development by expert technical craftsmen before Bentley Mulliner could bring the complex concept to reality.
Speaking on the occasion, Brett Boydell, Bentley’s Head of Interior Design for the Flying Spur, said, “Three-dimensional wood is the next interior design element we’ve taken from concept car idea to production reality. It works in perfect harmony with the three-dimensional leather quilting across the cabin of the Flying Spur and creates an even more special environment for those being driven. The principle of milling a geometric three-dimensional diamond form into solid wood was so well received at Geneva, it confirmed the value in translating the concept into reality for the customers of Bentley’s all-new Flying Spur.”
