Design Brief - Bentley State Limousine for The Queen

December 20th 2001 ...It was known from the start that if justice were to be done to Her Majesty The Queen's Golden Jubilee then the Bentley State Limousine design and production team would need to create an entirely new vehicle.

The result is a car that, through its imposing presence, fluted radiator grille and pronounced haunches is unmistakeably a Bentley. In line with Bentley design philosophy, it is arguably more flowing, rounder and sporting in appearance than previous State Limousines and offers that critical timeless style within some of the most unusual and exacting requirements of any road car.

One advantage enjoyed by the project team was its monocoque construction. This much more space efficient design enabled the stylists to have a considerably lower roofline while preserving the requisite interior height. This also means the entire transmission tunnel runs underneath this floor without encroaching into the cabin at all. And thanks to rear doors that actually cut into the cant-rail, The Queen will be able to stand up straight before stepping down to the ground.

Another key design feature is that the rear doors are hinged at the back and open through nearly 90 degrees, allowing The Queen to face her audience and enjoy an unimpeded exit.

The rear compartment is configured for two principal occupants, typically The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, while two rear facing occasional folding chairs are fitted for additional passengers. Removable, opaque panels over the backlight on the rear of the car allows occupants to choose between normal levels of privacy or having the covers removed to afford an improved view of the occupants from outside of the car. The panels have been designed for ease of stowage in the boot when not in use. And in line with the need to provide the best possible view into and out of the car, the car's D and E pillars have been carefully sited so The Queen is clearly visible between the two.

In keeping with tradition, the car will be painted in Royal Claret below the waistrail and black above, with a red coachstripe along each side of the car. The rear seats will be upholstered in West of England cloth while all remaining upholstery will be in light grey Connolly hide. The carpets will be pale Baroda blue in colour with a Royal Blue foot rug fitted in the rear, while the front cabin area carries a dark blue theme throughout.

Information regarding the mechanical specification of the car will be released nearer the time of its delivery but it can be revealed now that the Bentley State Limousine has been designed and packaged to accept an LPG system.