New Bentley Features Custom Linley Humidor
Two
grand British marques—Bentley and Linley—have launched their first
collaboration with the unveiling of a new automobile at the showrooms of
Jack Barclay in Berkeley Square in Mayfair, London. They have come
together to produce the Linley limited-edition Bentley Continental
Flying Spur, a four-door car of such stunning elegance you can easily
believe that it is a project that has been six years in gestation.
This
is a meeting of two great British names. Bentley built its first car in
1919 and has produced some of the most stylish and iconic motorcars of
the last 100 years. Linley is the quintessential British furniture,
humidor and design company. In the 25 years since Linley was founded, it has
become one of the most stylish bespoke furniture and interior design
companies in the world, with a customer list that includes Oprah
Winfrey, Carolina Herrera and Jo Malone.
Inside
the car, you quickly see the design and skills of Linley craftsmen. The
waist-rails and the picnic tables of the car feature Santos rosewood,
which contrasts with four beautiful inlayed veneers of marquetry with
the iconic Linley Helix design, featured in the distinctive Linley Helix
Furniture Collection to the fore. The Linley logo is inset into the
wood of the glove compartment and the beauty of the wood sits elegantly
with the fine white leather seats.
The
whole effect is stunning, and as your feet sink into the deep carpets
in the rear of the car you have the added luxury of being able to lift
the polished wooden lid of the bespoke Linley humidor that sits between
the two rear seats. The size of the humidor can be tailored to the
cigars favored by the car's owner. The model on launch day held some
very tempting Cohibas. For the cigar-smoking passenger every detail has
been thought of, as there are also snug homes for a lighter and a
cutter.
Sir
Roy Strong, previously the Director at London’s Victoria and Albert
Museum, once said that “David Linley’s furniture will become the
antiques of the future.” There is no doubt that the beautiful Linley
Bentley Continental Flying Spur will be regarded as a classic of British
automobile excellence, and it is to be hoped that this model is the
start of a long line of future projects between the two companies.
|
Only
10 of these stunning cars will be made and because of the huge demand
for Bentley’s four door models in China, it looks as though all ten of
them will be shipped out to the Far East.
“It
is a great honor to be working alongside such an esteemed British
brand as Bentley,” said David Linley, chairman of Linley. “Our two
brands share a commitment to superlative craftsmanship and design. I
believe that the culmination of our efforts will result in a car that is
utterly unique and reflective of the passion that both brands share for
pushing boundaries of engineering and excellence”
For
those of us who don’t live in China, or who aren’t in the market for
one of the finest automobiles in the world, Linley also produces a
magnificent range of humidors, including the Flag series, which includes
the American flag, and the Skyline series, featuring both the New York and London
skylines. These are available exclusively in New York at Nat Sherman
and in London at the Linley showrooms in Belgravia and Mayfair.
Nic Wing is the creator of the Cuban Cigar Walk London.