Bentley Produces New Book That Can Be More Expensive Than the Real Thing

Most people who dream of owning a Bentley typically settle for a collectible such as a shirt, watch, or perhaps a coffee table book. For the brand’s 100th year anniversary, Bentley, in true fashion, just couldn’t pick any ordinary publisher; they commissioned specialist luxury book publisher Opus to produce this limited edition 800-page book.

At almost a meter wide when opened and weighing approximately 30 kilos, the Bentley Centenary Opus is much more than a coffee table book. Indeed, it holds the record for being the biggest book ever produced on the story of an automotive brand.

Available in three distinct versions: the Mulliner, the Centenary, and the 100 Carat limited editions—they’re confined to just a print run of 100 copies, 500 copies, and 7 respectively.

Created, printed, and hand-bound by master binders in England, the book utilizes leather hides from the same sources as those used in Bentley models, while the Bentley Wings badge that adorns the front cover is an official hand-crafted badge, the same as those used on every Centenary model. Owners will be able to choose their own Bentley hide color for the front cover of their edition as well.

Between the covers the content features never-seen-before imagery, rare historical content and photography exclusive to the Bentley Opus, with special gatefold pages measuring two meters across.

Highlights of the Mulliner edition include iconic giant 20-in x 24-in Polaroid Portraits to showcase 10 landmark Bentleys, the first time the world’s largest polaroid camera has been used to photograph automobiles, and a collection of 56 Bentley model watercolors commissioned exclusively for the Bentley Opus project and individually painted on silk paper.

A piece of Bentley racing history completes the edition with a section of competition Michelin rubber crafted from the ‘front left’ raced-used tire taken from the 24-hour Le Mans-winning Speed 8 of 2003. This historic element will be inlaid into the inside cover of the Mulliner clamshell presentation case.

One very special feature is the ‘tailor-made’ bespoke option. Owners can have their own photographs included on special bespoke pages within their Bentley Opus edition. Being part of the Centenary story, unique in publishing, means that owners can ensure their own cars and treasured memories are included in the story. The Mulliner edition owners can also request their own cherished Bentley cars to be photographed by Opus for inclusion on their own editions. Another unique personalization option offers owners the choice of having their names gilded in gold or silver onto the cover of their edition if they wish.

The third version of the book, the exquisite 100 Carat edition, offers the ultimate in embellishment and decoration, adorned with 100 carats of diamonds and limited to an exclusive issue of seven—one for each continent. The iconic Wings badge is set in a choice of white gold or platinum to enhance the stunning diamond border.

If you had to ask the price, the Mulliner Edition is at £12,500 per copy (~ P 837,500), the Centenary Edition £3,000 per copy (~ P 201,000), and the 100 Carat Edition £200,000 per copy (~ P 13,401,000).