Talk about living in your car.
British luxury car brand Bentley is the latest car manufacturer to race into the residential property market.
“Bentley’s identity doesn’t have to be just in cars,” said Christophe George, President and CEO of Bentley’s Americas division. “It’s not just a car, it’s a lifestyle.”
Apparently, this lifestyle is getting big And go home.
Currently under construction in Sunny Isles, Miami, the world’s first 70-storey five-star Bentley Residences will be inspired by the EXP 100 GT.
Forget fighting over street parking with commoners. All 216 units of the building will feature three or four car attached garages. Like its neighbor, the Porsche Design Tower, the hub of the structure is its core of four futuristic car lifts. Other amenities include a whiskey bar, a restaurant, and a health suite.
“We are pushing the boundaries of innovation in the construction industry,” said Brett Boydell, Head of Design Collaboration at Bentley. “Nobody does this, and the reason is that it’s so expensive.”
Fortunately, “expensive” is a running plus for Bentley customers, many of whom own sets of wheels worth more than the average American home. The new Bentley Residences range at 18,325 Collins Ave. From $4.6 million for the three-bed, three-bath Bacalar unit, to $14.4 million for the combined four-bed, five-bath unit.
When completed in 2026, it will be the tallest skyscraper in the country. It will also have the largest number of swimming pools per capita, with each unit having its own private pool with a balcony.
But the most attractive feature – for car enthusiasts, at least – will be the floor-to-ceiling glass walls.
“We designed the garage so you can see your cars from your apartment,” said Chris Cook, Bentley’s director of product and lifestyle design. “You can display your pride and happiness while relaxing and cooking.”
Cook and Boydell, who said their customers are highly “demanding”, have drawn a great deal of inspiration from Bentley’s current range of cars – for example, expect the level of luxury you’ll find in the new Flying Spur (US$198,000) and GT (MSRP 202, MSRP. 000 dollars).
“We’ve outgrown these cars because we’ve been working five years into the future,” Cook said. “This building gives glimpses of the next generation of our cars.”
The biggest challenge for both designers was not to make the interior of the building look like the inside of a car, despite using many of the same finishes and materials such as wood, glass and leather.
“We want the essence of the Bentley experience without exaggeration,” Boydell said.
Rather than slapping the Bentley logo all over the place, they subtly incorporate the signature diamond shape into everything from windows to floor tiles. They are also working with Dezer Development and Sieger Suarez Architects on the building’s attractive exterior. The 749-foot-high structure will be supported by two wings modeled on the iconic Bentley insignia.
Car enthusiasts will also go to the game room where they can slip on virtual reality headsets and race at speeds of more than 200 mph from behind the wheel of a Bentley Continental GT. “I’d say it’s for kids but we might find a lot of adults there as well,” Boydell laughs. Other amenities on the premises include a golf simulator, cigar lounge, and cinema.
Why Miami? “America is our biggest market in the world,” said George. Florida and California are our main markets in the United States.
Perhaps a better question is: Should you drive a Bentley to get in? The answer is no.
“You’re not going to be famous,” Boydell said. “But you are allowed in.”
