Bentley Debuts Stone Veneer Interior Finishes on Continental and Flying Spur

CREWE, England – Bentley will now offer stone veneer interior finishes in its Bentley Continental and Flying Spur cars.

The slate and quartzite stone is sourced from quarries in India and is designed to push “boundaries of cabin luxury with new and rare materials,” Bentley said in a statement on Monday.

The use of stone veneers sets Bentley apart from luxury competitors including Aston Martin, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce and borrows a page from the interiors of high-end homes and luxury spas.

The feature is a game changer in the luxury auto segment, which traditionally offers interiors in handcrafted wood and leather.

“Now we are exploring new, fine and rare materials to offer even more bespoke tailoring and choice to our customers,” said Geoff Dowding, director of Bentley’s custom Mulliner Operations.

The stone veneers are offered in four different colors on the Continental and Flying Spur. They are Galaxy, Autumn White, Terra Red and Copper.

The Flying Spur competes against the Jaguar XJL, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Rolls-Royce Ghost. The Continental targets the Audi R8, Maserati GranTurismo and Rolls-Royce Wraith.

Luxury shoppers will work with Mulliner’s custom team to craft individual interiors using the material. Pricing was not announced.

Other automakers are beginning to dabble with unusual materials in vehicle cabins. They include the Orrefors crystal gearshift lever in the 2016 Volvo XC90 Excellence SUV.

Edmunds says: Luxury car shoppers looking for something different get an unusual new choice from Bentley.