Bentley sources stones from Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh for new interior finish

Luxury carmaker Bentley Motors has developed an innovative interior finish that utilises state-of-the-art stone veneer technology to make a luxurious, contemporary feature of a natural product formed over 200 million years. The slate and quartzite stone is sustainably sourced from hand-selected quarries in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. The sections of stone are then split from larger pieces and cured using glass fibre and a bespoke resin. Finally, they are shaped and hand finished by Bentley’s Mulliner coach building team at the company’s headquarters in Crewe, England.

“India is a nation with an ancient and rich culture of stone masonry,” said the carmaker in a press statement, highlighting the source of the cabin luxury.

The stone surfaces of the veneers are just 0.1 mm thick, meaning that they are both extremely light and translucent, allowing the grain and pattern in the stone to be visible to the interior occupants.

Geoff Dowding, director of Mulliner Operations, commented, “Bentley is the established expert in the handcrafting of wood and leather, and now we are exploring new, fine and rare materials to offer even more bespoke tailoring and choice to our customers. Stone veneers are another first for Bentley – but only the beginning of what we plan to do with this luxurious and unique material.”

Mulliner is now offering stone veneers in a natural finish, in four different colours on Continental and Flying Spur: Galaxy, Autumn White, Terra Red and Copper.