A few years ago, if you wanted a comfortable and quick daily-driver truck, your choices were pretty limited. Maybe a Ram TRX or a Ford F-150 Raptor if you wanted power with some plushness. But what if you had a nearly unlimited budget, wanted uncompromising luxury, and still needed a bed big enough to haul more than golf bags? Believe it or not, Bentley’s in-house coachbuilder, Mulliner, could be your answer.
Mulliner Does More Than Just Fancy Trim Levels
Bentley
On its website, Bentley says, “With Mulliner, the possibilities are endless.” Mulliner was the very first coachbuilder and has been reimagining Bentleys since 1923. Most of the time, Mulliner builds involve custom paint colors, personalized interiors, and bespoke details. One of their most recent projects, the Bentley Mulliner Batur, shares the majority of its mechanical parts with the Continental GT Speed, but is built from the ground up to meet its client’s request. Only 18 examples will be built, and cost $1.2 million a pop.
Not Just A Pipe Dream
Bentley
In a recent interview with Australia’s CarSales, Bentley sales and marketing executive, Christophe Georges, confirmed that a Bentley pickup isn’t beyond the realm of possibility. When asked if Mulliner could build such a vehicle, Georges responded, “Fundamentally, there is no real limitation.” That might sound like PR fluff, but we think it holds some real weight. All that’s needed is enough customers willing to bankroll the build.
Why A Bentley Pickup Might Make Sense
At first, the idea of a Bentley pickup sounds far-fetched. But think about how much the auto industry has changed in just a decade. Lamborghini makes an SUV. Rolls-Royce does too. Ferrari sells a V12-powered family car. Minis have grown larger than some crossovers, and Dodge makes the Charger muscle car without an engine. Bentley’s current lineup includes a grand touring coupe, a convertible, a luxury sedan, and an SUV, with an electric version on the way. The next logical step would be to reinvent the pick-up truck. The name and price remain a mystery, but if history has taught us anything, it’ll probably be something overly pretencious like “Ascendant” and cost ast least $500,000.
