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Bentley's Bentayga Mulliner takes two-tone to a new level of excess

Because a normal Bentayga just isn't enough for some people, Bentley revealed its most exclusive SUV yet, the Bentayga Mulliner. Now this isn't a wild custom model like the Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner. Rather, this is like past special-edition Mulliner cars including the standard-length Mulsanne, and the Continental GT, which featured some unique trim and detail touches. Immediately apparent is the two-tone paint scheme. This is a new option that will be introduced on the Bentayga Mulliner, but will trickle down to the rest of the lineup this April. In addition, this special Bentayga comes with exclusive 22-inch wheels with floating centers to keep the badge upright, a la Rolls-Royce wheels. Bentley also adds unique badging and standard color-coordinated lower body extensions, while the lower grilles are finished in chrome. The car that will be on display at the Geneva show will feature a special marquetry inlay up front showing the Monte Rosa mountain range. The two-tone scheme of the exterior is continued inside, with the front and rear seats upholstered in different colors of leather. In the Bentayga above, black leather covers the front seats while the rears are done in an ivory-colored hide. The seats all feature two colors of contrast stitching, as well. Even the wood veneers are finished in an exclusive dual tone. On the dash, the wood is completely black, but along the front doors, it fades to a natural finish that is continued on the rear doors. Breaking from the obsession with multiple colors, the Bentayga Mulliner also features a wine bottle cooler and crystal champagne flutes. You could put rose in one if you're really not into matching, though. If even these upgrades don't do it for you, there are a couple other special options available. Bentley offers the Linley Hamper by Mulliner, which is a pretty serious picnic basket featuring Linley china and silverware, as well as a refrigerator. This special Bentayga can also be ordered with the Mulliner Tourbillon automatic clock by Breitling, which the BBC reports was a $160,000 option when introduced during the SUV's debut. Bentley will begin taking orders this spring, though pricing for the SUV was not released. Expect it to cost a good chunk more than the standard model's $229,100 base price. Related Video:

2017 Bentley Mulsanne Speed is more ostentatious than ever

As it was, the Bentley Mulsanne was a pretty bold and ostentatious (and totally awesome) show of luxury. It was big and brutal in a classically British way, but it was also outperformed and out-teched by more modern (and cheaper) luxury sedans from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and even Audi. Buying one was a classic case study in vehicular statement-making, a vote for old-school refinement instead of modern gee-whizzery. Bentley clearly recognized that fact, because it's doubled-down on the big Mulsanne's aristocratic, give-no-craps demeanor as part of its latest aesthetic update. We love it. For one, the car on display in Geneva is painted is painted in an eye-catching (and questionable) metallic yellow-green. It is not subtle, but weirdly, it kind of works. The new, even more imposing grille is similarly blunt. It's been stretched three inches and is now home to polished stainless steel vanes. As we explained in our original post on the Mulsanne, the new headlight arrangement seeks to eliminate the "droopiness" of the current car. The LED units largely succeed, while somehow giving the front end an even snootier look. Styling changes elsewhere are subtler, which is to say there's still no mistaking the Mulsanne for anything else. The tail gets tasteful new LED lights, while changes along the long, smooth profile look to be nonexistent. It's a similar story in the cabin, which is a place filled with leather, chrome, and wood. It's proper and restrained, in contrast to the look-at-me face. But don't let the handsome and clean interior fool you – the only thing less subtle than the Mulsanne's new front fascia is the performance of this Speed variant. The 6.75-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 continues to reside under hood, turning out 530 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque. That's good for a 4.8-second 0-60 time and a 190-mile-per-hour top speed. Those are impressive figures for a genuine sports car, but they're just hilarious in a vehicle the size of a New York City apartment and the weight of a piece of construction equipment. The Mulsanne is an unnecessary, silly vehicle – a Mercedes-AMG S65 is a much better value. But simply put, few cars make such a bold statement about your wealth and power.

Bentley Bentayga bodies to be built in Bratislava

Volkswagen's plant in Bratislava, Slovakia, has come a long way. After getting its start in 1971 by subcontracting the production of Skoda-branded vehicles, the plant was purchased by VW in 1991, where it was quickly put to further good use as it began producing Volkswagen Passat models for export. More recently, Bratislava has become a bastion for SUVs, assembling the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne, in addition to the VW Touareg. Color us unsurprised, then, to learn that the Bentley Bentayga, which will be built atop the same large SUV platform as its cousins from Audi, Porsche and VW, will also be used for at least part of the production of Bentley's first SUV. Surely, though, one of the hallmarks of the Bentley brand is that its cars are handmade in England. Won't the Bentley-buying populace feel slighted by production in Slovakia? Not to worry. As is the case with the Porsche Cayenne, all that will be produced in Slovakia is the Bentayga's body. According to a report from Automotive News, bodies for the Bentayga will be shipped from Bratislava to Crewe, England, where they will be finished into fully operational vehicles. In order to accommodate the additional work, VW will reportedly invest 500 million euros into the plant in Slovakia and hire hundreds of workers.