To celebrate the release of the new James Bond Book ‘Carte Blanche’ by Jeffrey Deaver publishers Hodder & Stoughton have partnered up with Bentley Motors to create an exclusive Bentley special edition: the ultimate luxury edition of the highly anticipated new James Bond adventure.
The Bentley ‘Special Edition’ will be limited to only 500 and are available now for pre-order. Ian Fleming (the creator of Bond) was always a fan of Bentley Motor Cars as shown in the 14 Bond books he wrote.
Bentley’s design team worked closely with the publishers Hodder & Stoughton to capture the spirit of Bond and Bentley. A dedicated team of seven designers submitted proposals for the edition and the final design came from Bentley Senior Designer Brett Boydell. The artwork for the book is available seperately from Colman Getty, both audio and e-versions of the book will be published simultaneously.
Brett commented: “As a designer it doesn’t get much better than a brief of ‘Carte Blanche’! The design features radical concepts that we feel reflect the name of the book, the ideas inherent in the Bond legacy, and the design principles we are passionate about.”
I guess at this point you’re wondering how much for each of these ‘Special Editions’? its £1000 GBP which to us seems like an excellent price for a rare collectors piece that brings together two icons, James Bond and Bentley Motors.
The Design:
The stunning case of the Bentley ‘Special Edition’ is inspired by the deserts of Dubai – one of the exotic locations Bond finds himself in within the new novel – and of course the new Bentley Continental GT, Bond’s car of choice in the book.
The exterior case of the Carte Blanche limited edition is made from polished aluminium, just like the Bentley Continental GT, giving it a seamless and aerodynamic shape. More sculpture than car, it evokes the Bentley GT’s signature outline, its metal skin making it look like the car has risen from the desert sand. To ensure the finished case meet Bentley’s renowned standards of quality, an automotive supplier was employed to create the case to automotive standards using a specially commissioned machine.
The limited edition Carte Blanche book 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 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. 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.
A special feature just for Bond Fans
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.
Brett Boydell adds: “Bond destroys as well as he creates and saves. It was this element I needed to convey in my design. The reader has the excitement of finding the bullet housed in the centre of the pages with the text positioned so that the reading experience is undisturbed. I hope they find the book as exciting to hold and look at as the unfolding drama itself.”
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