Luxury Bentley book
A luxurious new book, devoted to an equally luxurious modern car, was launched at a party in London’s Berkeley Square, hosted jointly by Classic Driver, Asprey and Jack Barclay.
The car is the remarkable Bentley Brooklands, a modern-day automobile of which just 438 have been made, and which can truly claim to beone of the last Grand Tourers of modern times. The book pays homage to the fact that this rare and special car is painstakingly handmade, using time-honoured coachbuilding skills, and yet – above all else – is a true driver’s machine. The Brooklands is made to be driven, hard, by discerning owners who revel in the sophistication of its responses, while appreciating a certain ‘raw’ vitality that Bentley has purposely left intact.
The book is co-written by author and racing driver Tony Dron, and his respected fellow journalist Simon de Burton. Dron first interviews the designers and engineers behind the Brooklands, building up a fascinating picture of the skill and dedication needed to produce such a modern-day automotive icon, before handing over to de Burton, who takes a brand-new Bentley Brooklands from London, across the Channel, and on an evocative journey through France to the Cote d’Azur. Striking images, by world-renowned photographers Michael Bailie and Charlie Best, provide a dramatic illustration of both the journey and the Bentley Brooklands in production at Crewe.
The quality of writing and photography reflect the style of Classic Driver, the world’s leading website devoted to premium classic and modern cars. Says Steve Wakefield, UK Director of Classic Driver, “After more than 10 years of online success, we wanted to produce a book that summed up our ethos of ‘quality, fun and style’ in a more tangible form. Classic Driver’s online weekly newsletter aims to give readers in-depth and informed commentary, while remaining very personal in its style, and we kept to this approach in The Bentley Brooklands book. The text and photography personify the essence of Classic Driver: mixing the very best of new and old cars with adventurous travel and luxury goods.”
The launch party, held at Jack Barclay’s London showroom on Berkeley Square, welcomed former F1 star Mark Blundell and fashion guru Jeremy Hackett among the 300-plus guests. The guests were also able to see a display of Asprey’s bespoke luggage set for the car, plus the bespoke Asprey Gentleman’s Stainless Steel Chronograph as worn by Simon de Burton in the book.
The book, ‘The Bentley Brooklands’, is available in two versions. The ‘Special’ edition, to be published in strictly limited numbers, is bound in high-quality burgundy Pasubio leather to match the interior of the featured car. In addition, it has a velvet-lined, burgundy Pasubio leather-covered slipcase and foil blocking on front and spine. The ‘Standard’ version is bound in burgundy cloth, with a velvet-lined burgundy cloth slipcase and, again, foil blocking on front and spine. The two versions are priced at £295.00 and £125.00, respectively, plus post & packing. To order a copy, email info[at]bentleybrooklandsbook.com or, for further information and to view some sample spreads, see bentleybrooklandsbook.com.
