Editorial

On your marques

Exclusivity is a defining aspect of the luxury sector. Here, writer and editor Charlie Thomas explores how bespoke became – and remains – the most luxurious component of a car
20th Jan 2025
Editorial On your marques

At one point in the past two decades, visiting a showroom and purchasing a new car straight from the factory floor wasn’t enough. For the most discerning clientele with an appetite for creativity and the deepest pockets, going for something personalised and unique became the only choice. Who, after all, wants something that everyone else can buy? This idea of exclusivity is nothing new. For well over a century, having a bespoke suit was the height of luxury clothing. Esteemed houses on Savile Row have long dressed heads of state, politicians and Hollywood stars, cutting unique patterns and adding details specifically at the client’s request.

Customisation isn’t new to the car world either. Since four wheels took over from horses as the primary form of transport, drivers have been modifying, tweaking and personalising the look and performance of their cars. In the United States in the 1930s, moonshiners would tune their daily drivers to outrun the police during prohibition, turning their humble V8s into borderline race cars to transport whiskey from rural areas into cities as quickly and efficiently as possible. On their days off they’d race their ‘stock’ cars at local tracks, eventually forming what we know of today as NASCAR.

The following decade saw the rise of lowriding, a subculture that placed importance on looks rather than speed. Mexican American communities on the US’s west coast began to chop up, lower and hand-paint their rides in displays of ultimate creativity. When hip-hop came around in the late-20th century, lowriders and customised cars would form an integral part of the image of many of its biggest stars. Wheels got bigger, interiors more lavish and engines more powerful, all in the name of self-expression. Until recently though, those looking to put their own spin on their car would, more often than not, have to seek out a third party customiser to make the changes. But now, many of the world’s manufacturers are offering in-house bespoke services. And it’s Britain, not the US, that’s leading the charge. 

Rolls-Royce Droptail – clay modelling
 
Rolls-Royce Droptail – clay modelling
 

Depending on the brand, the changes a client can make can be as subtle as a unique stitching colour, all the way through to the creation of a one-off car with completely bespoke bodywork. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, for example, has a Coachbuild service in which top clients can help design their bodywork from scratch. One-of-one creations include the Sweptail, designed to evoke the glamour of early-20th century transport; the Boat Tail, commissioned in honour of a 1932 model of the same name; and La Rose Noire Droptail, inspired by the intense colour of the Black Baccara rose, a French-bred flower much loved by the family’s matriarch. Another company spearheading the bespoke movement is Aston Martin. Its recently launched Q programme is designed to offer customers a wide range of options, not dissimilar to James Bond’s own right-hand-man. “Q by Aston Martin was established to provide our most discerning clientele with the opportunity to create their dream Aston Martin,” says Chief Brand and Commercial Officer Marco Mattiacci.

“Anything is possible,” says Marek Reichman, the marque’s Executive Vice President & Chief Creative Officer. “Changes can be made throughout a vehicle’s specification: within interior materiality – colour, trim, fabrics – including selections of pattern and threading for embroidery and detailing, across finishes such as variations of tinted carbons, and all the way to one-off exterior graphic livery designs.”

Q by Aston Martin on Park Avenue, New York City

Aston Martin has even launched Q New York, the first store of its kind where clients can experience the bespoke service in person on Park Avenue. It’s part showcase, part response to customer demand. “In 2023, Aston Martin achieved unparalleled success with the uptake of our bespoke service,” says Mattiacci. “We experienced a remarkable 36 per cent global growth year-on-year. The European market emerged as our primary destination for bespoke services, closely followed by the Americas.”

Bespoke isn’t just a popular option for sports and supercars. The luxury SUV market is still booming. In 2023, European SUV sales spiked to 51 per cent of the total market, with the category outperforming all other vehicle types combined, according to Automotive News Europe. Range Rover has long been the benchmark for the segment, both in terms of performance and comfort, and its bespoke service, SV Bespoke, is thriving. 

Range Rover SV Bespoke Sadaf Edition

“The SV Bespoke service as we know it today was introduced in 2016,” says Mike King, SV Bespoke Client Manager. “There has always been strong demand for SV Bespoke services, but this has dramatically increased since we launched our commissioning service for the new Range Rover in May last year. Our clients are used to customising almost every aspect of their life, so this naturally includes creating a Range Rover that reflects their own unique personality.” The brand doesn’t “offer any changes to the powertrain or exterior geometry”. But unique paint colours are the most requested change, while the bonnet and tailgate script can be finished in a range of precious metal options, including 24ct gold. Interior embroidery is also popular, with clients “pushing the boundaries of creativity by requesting everything from monograms to cityscapes, and even pieces of art,” says King. The Middle East is currently its biggest market.

Bentley Continental GTC interior collaboration with Boodles
 
Bentley Continental GTC interior collaboration with Boodles
 

For one British brand, bespoke is a part of its heritage. “Mulliner has provided bespoke services to Bentley ever since the first Mulliner-bodied Bentley in 1923,” says David Parker, Chief Commercial Officer of Bentley Mulliner & Motorsport. Now based in Crewe, Mulliner was brought in-house as part of Bentley in 1959, and has continued to build one-off commissions since then. It’s a service that has never been in more demand, and has exploded since the pandemic. “Bespoke content rose 43 per cent year-on-year last year,” says Parker. “Bentleys ordered with bespoke content have increased five-fold since 2018. In the seven-year period between 2014 and 2021, there were 1,000 Mulliner Bespoke commissions. In 2022 there were 500 alone, and last year this number was 750.” Why? “There is an ever-increasing appetite from clients around the world for personalisation and uniqueness,” he says. Examples of Mulliner coachbuilt commissions include the £1.98mn Batur; the futuristic, roofless Bacalar; and Elizabeth II’s State Limousine, a bulletproof machine based on the Bentley Arnage with bespoke stowage designed to perfectly house the late Queen’s favourite handbag.

As the automotive industry moves into electrification, the bespoke market shows no sign of slowing down. It was once an engine that gave a car its character and personality, but for today’s luxury consumer, going bespoke straight from the factory is an increasingly popular option. It’s one that will separate the finished article from the rest of the pack, whether it has an engine or not. 

Lead image: Aston Martin Valour

The Walpole Book of British Luxury 2024/2025 is available to order now, priced at £30. To buy your copy, contact the team using the link below.
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