SINGAPORE’S not the only one with a centenary to celebrate. Bentley Motors completes its century sprint later this year, and is marking the occasion with a slew of commemorative gear and year-long festivities. We suss out the 5 items you’ll want.
01: The lanyard
There’s always room in your life for another lanyard. A tasteful leather strip connects the hook to a Bentley badge. The cloth loop’s got the silver Bentley logo emblazoned on it, and it’s tipped with a snapping clasp so you won’t have to muss up the ‘do every time you don or doff it.
02: The espresso set
Hoover up your espresso, pinky out, from these diminutive gold-trimmed cups bearing the Bentley coat of arms. The centenary logo’s imprinted on the accompanying saucers, but we suggest substituting with a couple of your own plain white ones to make a timeless combination.
03: The polo tee
With the profusion of light and neutral colours marking the fashion year so far, you surely can afford a black-based polo tee in your repertoire.
The 100% cotton number sports white and gold trim on the sleeve and collar bits, and sports a simple, small Bentley logo on the back, sitting just between the haunches. The patch up front is a badge denoing the geographical layout and location of Crewe – where it all started. (There’s the female cutting as well if you intend to buy a pair.)
04: These napkin rings
If you’re the owner of a Bentley, you’re presumably going to be doing some hosting, and napkins are bound to follow.
Now, you could go with the borin’ old folded napkins, or you could throw your guests a curveball and see if they recognise the knurling (that’s the textured surface of the knobs and dials in the vehicles) on these napkin rings. If they fail to notice, there’s the logo imprinted in the inner surface. Besides, napkin rings. That’s top-notch hosting.
05: The limited edition Mulsanne W.O. Edition
And finally, the piece de resistance for any earnest Bentley fan: the commemorative Bentley vehicle itself. While not technically part of the collection, the Mulsanne W.O. Edition by Mulliner gets serious treatment beyond just a cursory palette swap, and is a must-have for anyone who wants a crown jewel in the fleet. Only 100 of these will be commissioned.
The crankshaft of founder Walter Owen Bentley’s very own 1930 8 Litre has been portioned into 100 fragments, each of which will be showcased in the space between the two rear seats. Curious? Register your interest here – more details are due to drop as the Geneva Motor Show is just around the corner.