The Bentley Bentayga Mulliner is the most luxurious Bentayga

This, according to Bentley, is “the most exquisitely appointed luxury SUV ever created.” 

Say hello, then, to the Bentley Bentayga Mulliner. And it gets off to quite a start, with a 600bhp, 6.0-litre W12, should one wish to blow the hoi polloi into the weeds. Zero to 60 is all over in four seconds flat and, if one were to keep their bespoke Ferragamo loafer buried in the carpet, they’ll eventually hit 187mph. 

As you might be able to tell, Mulliner isn’t vying for the kind of arrivistes who are swayed by flared wheel arches, titanium cat-back exhausts or garish spoilers. When it debuts in Geneva, then, it’ll probably be an island of calm restraint in an ocean of wide bodykits, 30-inch wheels and bright orange paint.   

For those not up on Mulliner, it’s essentially Bentley’s custom shop. And it’s usually reserved for one-off projects, commissioned by the highest echelon of Bentley’s customers. 

As such, the Bentayga Mulliner is packed full of painstakingly crafted touches, such as hand-stitched leather that extends past the seats and on to roughly every available surface. There’s also a bottle cooler where the rear middle seat should be, filled with champagne flutes made from Cumbria crystal. Burr Walnut (a favourite of people whose proper titles take two breaths to complete) is an exclusive addition to the Mulliner Bentayga, and is crafted with a special ‘ombré’ transition (ask your hairdresser) that moves from black to walnut colouring. 

Illuminated door sills and LED lamps seem almost nouveau-riche by comparison, as do the 15 separate colours that they can display. As a concept, it seems less ‘Bentley’ and more ‘stretch Hummer on a hen’s night’, but there’s sure to be a setting that’ll suit the even most Barbour-clad Labrador enthusiast. 

And we’re equally sure that the 1950-watt, 21-channel Naim stereo will be equally at home piping out Debussy or death metal, and we’re now taking submissions for the least appropriate song that you could possibly play, in the comments below.

Returning to proper Downton Abbey form is the optional Linley Hamper, complete with a refrigerator, cutlery and crockery made from fine china (as you do), crystal glassware and a dry storage area. You can, as Bentley points out, also remove a few sections and use them as seats. Lovely. 

And, if you’re the type to compulsively check every box on the options list (don’t laugh, there are more out there than you think), there’s a mechanical Tourbillon clock by Breitling, machined from yellow, rose or white gold, with a face made from either abalone or ebony and decorated with diamond indexes. It’s wound periodically by the car – by rotating the entire clock – so you don’t have to worry about power reserves or anything like that. And, if you’re curious about what a Tourbillon is, it’s an exceptionally complex piece of engineering that was originally invented to make pocket watches more accurate. It works by rotating the balance spring to alleviate the effects of gravity on the isochronism of the movement. Hey, you asked.

The ‘Duo-Tone’ paint you see here is also an option, if that sort of thing doesn’t immediately brim you with joy, and will extend to the ‘regular’ Bentayga range from April onwards. 

So, is Bentley’s ultimate Bentayga your ultimate Bentayga? And what would be the least appropriate song to play in a Mulliner-branded Bentley?