By Andrew Liszewski
For some reason automotive manufacturers are all about limited edition books these days. First it was BMW with their CULTURE book, then it was Ferrari with their ridiculously overpriced The Official Ferrari Opus, and now it’s Bentley Motors’ turn. Except that instead of featuring a history of the company, Bentley’s got a tie-in with the new James Bond book- Carte Blanche.
Instead of the Aston Martin Bond was most commonly seen driving in the films, in his latest book he gets behind the wheel of a Bentley Continental GT, a brand he’s piloted a few times before in the original novels. And to commemorate the reunion, Bentley Motors, working with Hodder & Stoughton, created a limited edition version of the new book which comes in a custom polished aluminum case. And the book itself? Well they’ve gone a little overkill there since it even includes a bullet hole and 9mm numbered bullet hidden inside:
In deference to the title Carte Blanche, the book itself is bound in white Nappa leather, the same outstanding grade of leather used in a Bentley’s interior, mimicking the interior of the GT with its contrast of white leather trim and Pillar Box red edging. The title, author’s name and the familiar wings of the Bentley logo are carefully embossed into the front and foil-blocked onto the spine. The text is printed in two colours, black and red, on sumptuous ivory paper, with endpapers of a matching red leather. The pages are expertly cut and trimmed to reflect the handcrafted techniques of the Bentley construction process. As with the other details of the special edition, the colours are carefully selected from the Bentley range. The book sits on a base of black anodised aluminium, chosen not to mark the white leather.
In one last twist, playing on the idea of an agent being given Carte Blanche, is one of the most dramatic features of the design: a die-cut bullet hole that pierces pages of the book. Hidden within the pages is a single polished 9mm bullet, individually marked with a number distinct to each copy, making the edition truly unique.
The Carte Blanche SE is available for pre-order now for ~$1,650 (£1,000) and is limited to just 500 copies so you better order soon!
[ Carte Blanche Special Edition ] VIA [ Born Rich ]
