Bentley unveils the Virtuoso collection, whose models will be fitted with the new exclusive Naim for Mulliner audio system

With the arrival of the Bentley Batur, the British brand introduced the Naim for Mulliner sound system on this model, a sound system that is also combined with high-quality materials, exclusive embroidery and gold-tone details inspired by the finest musical craftsmanship. Now this sound system and these materials will also be available on the Continental GT, Continental GTC and Bentayga (the Flying Spur will join later this year), with the aim of delivering Bentley’s most immersive audio experience to date.

Naim Audio, an English audio equipment company founded in 1973 and known to you for the Focal speakers that other companies also fit in their vehicles, needed more than 15 years and over 10,000 hours of development to create its finest car sound system to date, the Naim for Mulliner. It was first fitted in that model and will now be available on other Bentley models through a collection they have called Virtuoso, which is simply an optional extra that can be ordered for the modest price of around 29,000 euros.

The Naim for Mulliner sound system uses eighteen speakers and two enhanced transducers, ensuring exceptional fidelity and an optimised frequency response so that no detail is lost. The company has also worked closely with Dolby Laboratories on the integration of Dolby Atmos, which allows sound to move freely through a multidimensional space with extraordinary clarity and depth, so the listening experience places the listener within the music thanks to immersive audio with clearly defined layers.

On the hardware side the level has also been raised, thanks to the work of Bentley’s audio engineers and the use of Fraunhofer Symphoria to develop the sound stage for each individual car. Fraunhofer Symphoria is a high-quality rendering technology for two-dimensional and three-dimensional surround sound in cars, which significantly improves the perceived audio quality throughout the cabin together with a balanced surround sound.

Note the level of detail and how everything has been studied to the millimetre: soft Dinamica leather inserts have been placed in strategic areas of the doors to absorb unwanted frequencies and vibrations, and even the speaker grilles have been custom-designed to deliver a 26% increase in acoustic transparency. Speaking of the speakers, derived from the Focal Grand Utopia, the tweeters incorporate a patented “M”-shaped cone to provide an extremely linear frequency response with low distortion and better sound dispersion.

To all this audio display are added Champagne Gold details, even on the exterior in areas such as the Bentley badges, the exhaust outlets, the Virtuoso collection badges or the car key itself. When the doors are opened, a personalised animation welcomes us as we step inside to find three interior options for customers to choose from:

• Soprano: featuring linen leather in Gravity Grey, Portland Dinamica fabric and open-pore walnut wood inserts.
• Tenor: Stratos and Brunel leather combined with Ceramic Glaze Dinamica fabric and Piano Gravity Grey wood inserts.
• Bass: Gravity Grey and Beluga leather combined with Beluga Dinamica fabric and open-pore black walnut wood inserts.

In addition to these personalisation options, Mulliner will offer customers the chance to make their vehicle even more individual.

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverBentley Bentayga12 versions · from 216,580 €