Your next Bentley: Now available with added old-world charm

Always wanted to give your next Bentley a bit of added old-world charm? You're in luck.

Mulliner is now offering customers the option to get their modern Bentleys finished with what it terms as 'Heritage Leather'. Originally developed for the continuation reincarnations of the Blower and Speed Six, this leather is said to give your new Bentley the look and feel of one from the 1930s thanks to the adoption of a two-tone finish and the leather's haircell grain.

The Bentley Heritage Leather sports a higher sheen than Bentley's modern hides and is said to be durable as any of the firm's latest leathers

You'll be able to pick yours in either Ox Blood Red or Parsons Napier Green, both colours traditional for the 1930s, identified in original records of historic Bentleys. Mulliner also points out that it has worked to give this historic leather a higher sheen - a product of the fact that historical leather upholstery was often treated with natural oils, waxes, or even varnishes - while giving it subtle variations of shade to create the visual impression of age-patinated leather.

Showcased in the photos is the leather applied to the latest Bentley Continental GT Mulliner, specified to mirror the Factory Works Speed Six Continuation Series so it gets a Bedford Grey exterior alongside Ox Blood red upholstery in its cabin.

The leather for this Heritage Leather specification comes from the hallowed manufacturer Bridge of Weir (which has long been working to bring the carbon footprint of its leathers right down) and is additionally said to offer the same durability as any leather found in a modern Bentley.

But if that's not enough to convince you of its sustainability, Bentley is also keen to point out that many of its Cricklewood-era and pre-war Bentleys still sporting their original upholstery: You don’t wear out the upholstery in a Bentley, you wear it in.

Note also the fact that the seats in the showcased Continental comes with quilted and embroidered uppers, diamond patterned perforations, contrast embroidery and piping. We are sure Mulliner will let you pick and choose exactly which of these you'd like on your own car.

Catch our review of the Bentley Continental GT Speed here.