There was a time when owning a private jet was enough of a reason to brag. These days, though, with every rapper and reality TV star Instagramming their weekend jaunt in their sparkling jet, it’s easy to forgive that little sigh of ennui.
Leave it to Flexjet – which offers shared ownership and access programmes – to up the ante by teaming up with Bentley to dress up the interiors of the latest addition to its European fleet, the Gulfstream G650, the ultra-long-range jet having debuted to tremendous applause this past September in Malta.
And it’s easy to see why. Quite apart from the G650’s Top Gun-like performance specs – it can cover 11,500km and hit a top cruising speed of Mach 0.925 – its interiors echo the luxe moodboard and silhouettes of Bentley’s extremely rare Mulliner Bacalar (announced in 2020, only 12 examples of the two-door open-top motorcar exist, with each customised to its owner’s specs), complete with seats encased with the white leather basketweave stitching which will be immediately recognisable by any Bentley aficionado.
Interior of the Gulfstream G650 jet
The seamless segue between ground transport and airborne fleet is reinforced with Flexjet’s simultaneous launch of its European point-to-point helicopter service in a Sikorsky S-76, the latter also featuring the design imprint of the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar.
Lest anyone be concerned about the possible dilution of Bentley’s aesthetic marque, Flexjet CEO Michael Silvestro is quick to point out that ‘like the Bacalar, of which there are no two alike, we will only be using this interior in one of our helicopters and one of our Gulfstream G650 aircraft’.
The Bentley collaboration is just one of the salvos to be fired in Flexjet’s ambitious expansion plans, the company already working with a slew of blue-chip partners ranging from yachting companies and spas, fashion houses and retailers to luxury hotel brands.
bentleymotors.com; flexjet.com
The Sikorsky S-76 helicopters used in Flexjet's point-to-point helicopter service
Interiors of the Sikorsky S-76 helicopters used in Flexjet's point-to-point helicopter service
-
Formafantasma’s biodiversity-boosting installation in a Perrier Jouët vineyard is cross-pollination at its bestFormafantasma and Perrier Jouët unveil the first project in their ‘Cohabitare’ initiative, ‘not only a work of art but also a contribution to the ecosystem’
-
Gingerbread City: architects sculpt London out of the season's favourite treatUntil December 29 in Chelsea, see London brought to life in a seasonal-appropriate medium by leading architects and designers
-
New Revox B77 MK III reel-to-reel tape recorder, and more cassette tape-based trickeryThe new Revox B77 MK III might be the ultimate analogue flex. In response, we’ve explored the outer reaches of cassette tape design
-
Bentley collaborates with fashion designer Supriya Lele to create ‘Nīla Blue’This one-off Bentley Bentayga S showcases a new paint and interior specification created with Indian-British designer Supriya Lele
-
The new Bentley Continental GT Speed surpasses its top-ranking predecessorHigh in the Alps behind the wheel of a brand new hybrid Bentley, we reflect on what it takes to make a modern supercar
-
Bentley describes the updated hybrid Flying Spur Speed as a four-door supercarThe latest version of the Bentley Flying Spur is a technological showcase and an outstanding performer
-
Bentley rolls out the latest version of its majestic grand tourer, the Continental GT SpeedAvailable as both coupé and convertible, the fourth generation Bentley Continental GT Speed harnesses hybrid power to become a record breaker for the brand
-
Zoute Grand Prix is a car fest like no other at a pristine Belgian beachside townAmy Serafin takes to the well-heeled streets of Knokke-Heist to experience the Zoute Grand Prix, its annual cavalcade of classic car-related events, from a rally to an auction
-
Bentley goes big with an extended, Mulliner-trimmed version of its Bentayga SUVThe Bentley Bentayga EWB Mulliner is the luxury manufacturer’s new flagship, a high-riding limousine that marks a sea-change in how we perceive the very best of an automotive brand
-
Bentley Blower Jr shrinks and electrifies the stately form of a racing classicThe Little Car Company’s latest project takes an interwar icon and transforms it into an electric city car for the modern rake
-
Bentley’s Mulliner division enters a purple patch with the BaturJust 18 examples of the new Bentley Batur will be built for customers, designed as the ultimate platform for creative specifications and a showcase for in-car craft and design
