BENTLEY BENTAYGA FALCONRY EXPEDITION

Mulliner is the customising department at Bentley. These dedicated craftsmen take a Bentayga, and turn it into the perfect accessory for an individual lifestyle. Like other bespoke sections of high-end car companies, they handle requests from simple monogrammed upholstery to the kind of elaborate tailored body modifications that can only be undertaken with the expertise of an established coachbuilder. However, Mulliner has developed a line of accessories for the Bentayga that take the owner’s hobbies to an art form, and the team has turned their expert eye to the ancient arts of the Middle East. Having created the successful Bentayga Fly Fishing by Mulliner, the team has created the Bentayga Falconry by Mulliner.

The Bentayga Falconry by Mulliner is an exquisite handcrafted bespoke installation designed to house everything you need for a successful falconry expedition, fitted flawlessly into the boot of your Bentayga. At the core of the kit are two individual natural-cork-fabric-trimmed units: the master flight station and a refreshment case, placed on a movable tray for easy access.

Inside the master flight unit is a special Piano Black veneered drawer, decorated with a saker falcon crest, offering bespoke storage for all the equipment required for this unique sport. Beneath this is a laser-embossed, smooth nappa hide stowage tray, fitted with individual compartments for a GPS bird tracking unit, binoculars and handcrafted leather bird hoods and gauntlets, all of which are available from Bentley as additional options. Naturally, the gauntlets and hoods can be individually ordered with a trim to match the vehicle interior.

The refreshment case houses three metal flasks for hot qahwa or mint tea on chilly mornings, complete with durable metal cups, a blanket and wash cloths. Two removable falcon perches, stored in a special cork and fabric-trimmed case, which slots into a hard pocket built into the side of the boot, can be fitted into the boot floor, or set out on the surrounding terrain. A cork boot-floor and rear-sill protection cover is integrated into the rear of the Bentayga. Using this reversible feature, falconers can prepare their birds in comfort and shade. There is an additional removable transportation perch and tether fitted to the central armrest inside the car.

Bentley chose natural cork for the Falconry kit, for its luxurious feel, warmth and sustainable qualities. This fabric is also easily maintained and extremely durable and therefore perfectly suited to harsh, rugged environments.

Marquetry Inlay

Of no practical use, but sure to be a hit with falcon lovers is the interior themed marquetry. Featuring a saker falcon on a background of rolling dunes, each inlay takes 430 individual pieces of wood sourced from all over the world, including chestnut, eucalyptus pommele, holly, lacewood, maple, olive ash and ripple sycamore.

No two Mulliner veneers are the same and the skill comes initially from selecting the right piece of wood for its unique qualities, such as the speckling of Lacewood that mimics the rippling of the windswept desert. In the depiction of the falcon, the vanes of each individual feather are achieved by cutting the shape from specific veneers. Sand shading – a classic handcrafting technique that enhances definition – adds a darker gradient to the tips of the wings, creating shadow and the illusion of depth. Each of the 430 pieces used in the saker falcon marquetry inlay has undergone four separate processes of cutting, sand shading, pressing and double cutting – before being assembled by hand over nine days.

Before the finished inlay is pressed and lacquered, checks are made under magnification to ensure that the fit of each piece is perfect and that aesthetically the grain direction and sand shading are even.

Geoff Dowding, Director of Mulliner, said: “The Bentayga Falconry showcases what’s possible with our skilled craftspeople. They can devise elegant and exquisitely executed bespoke solutions to compliment any lifestyle or hobby.  Falconry is regarded as the sport of kings in the Middle East, so it was vital that the kit we created was as luxurious as it was practical and durable to appeal to our valued customers there and around the world.”