Believe it or not, there once was a time when changing the color of a car was a considerable task that took money, time, and manhours to complete. Nowadays, a simple vinyl film is all it takes to transform the visual appearance of any automobile, no matter its size, make, model, shape, body style, or purpose.
And the best part about the wrapping is its perpetuity – it can be deleted without leaving any marks and then redone over and over again. That’s how a luxury automobile can morph into a dog in just 96 hours. Not an actual canine, but the resemblances are close enough to have the car admitted to a dog show.
Bentley is the responsible automotive party for this shenanigan – the British company is the exclusive partner of the Goodwoof festival of dogs. The glossy canine-centered event in England on the Duke of Richmond’s grounds at Goodwood – has marked its second annual episode.
Because the English have a very peculiar affection for animals – think of horse racing, horseback hunting, and other such activities – a dog-dedicated event was only natural. Bentley joined the fun with a specially prepared Bentayga S named “Bentley.”
Photo: Bentley
No PUN here, it says on the car’s dog tag shining from under its thick layer of fur. And, no, Bentley did not come up with some cyborg-tech cross between an automobile and a representative of the Canis family. It wrapped one of its luxury SUVs in a particular film painted to imitate a sheepdog’s garment.
One of the most famous work dogs in the wool-producing universe is the Border Collie. This breed is renowned for its innate ability to lead and drive a herd of sheep virtually without human intervention.
The “Bentley” Bentley Bentayga S wore the Border Collie wrap – a work of graphic art – making the event as memorable as possible. Switching occupations from shepherd to photobooth, the Bentayga doubled as a Pup-arazzi, allowing participants to take photos inside the luxurious automobile.
Photo: Bentley
However, in true Goodwood tradition, this photoshoot wasn’t the standard “sit-for-a-snap” affair. Studio lighting, a wind machine, and rolled-down Bentayga windows set the stage for a superstar-like pose (and portrait). Frankly, it was the next best thing to having a ride in the open-throttle Bentley: ears flopping, tongue slapping, and perfect framing - everything but the actual full-speed run.
The christening of the Bentayga with the brand’s eponym is not coincidental. All dogs by the name of Bentley (which is very popular in the UK, especially for English breeds) got a free pass for the VIP Car Bark. Alternatively, if a conveniently-baptized four-legged companion wasn’t available, owners of a Bentley vehicle got the same VIP treatment.
Although the designer of the wrapping did his best to camouflage the Bentayga S, the hybrid luxury SUV quickly caught the eye of everyone present at the festival – some 8,000 dogs and their human companions attended the two-day show.
After completing – with questionable success – its Collie task of rounding sheep in their pen, the Bentayga was treated with a not-so-doggie-style wash, vacuum, and a charging session for its battery pack (who said being in charge of rams wasn't depleting?)
After nearly two decades in news television, Răzvan turned to a different medium. He’s been a field journalist, a TV producer, and a seafarer but found that he feels right at home among petrolheads. Full profile
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