i was wondering if anyone has been on the Crewe factory tour and can describe their experience. was it worth the traveling expense for a 3 hour tour?

i have a 2013 GTC W12 in its final build stage, and am mulling over whether i should shell out another $5-7 grand to see my car at the factory.

wingedone
01 BMW M5
06 Maserati Gransport
08 BMW M5
10 Maserati GTS-A
13 GTC W12, delivery in May

 

Congrats on your purchase! I haven't done the factory tour, but I'm about to buy some art from a professional artist who I also know personally. As well as his art being top quality work, the fact I know him gives me a satisfying connection to his work.

It might be the same with your car and the people who finish it and put their name on the engine. I would dearly love to meet the people who spent 3 days just stitching the leather around the wheel. Perfection. What an amazing skill!

Found some details here: http://www.imaginelifestyles.com/lux...%E2%80%94-hand

 

I was quoting liberally when I mentioned about the name on the engine. I just had a look at my CGT and there isn't one - I must have been thinking of the Vanquish.

However, this being only the third time I've lifted the bonnet/hood in curiosity in the 15 months I've owned it, I was pleased to see it still looks brand new under there!

 

Your memory is excellent and certain B engines do have the nameplate. These can be found on the V8 as i recall and not the W12.

 

I have dreamed of visiting the factory but I was thinking about designing and ordering a car after learning what the possibilities were. I have not bought the right lottery ticket yet.

Do it. Why not? Are you convincing your self to go or to stay? I say if you got the time and coin buys ticket.

 

thanks for the posts guys. i have decided to pass on going now, but at some point in the future i will visit the factory. i have seen the Ultimate Factory episode and it seems like a truly remarkable factory and operation.

However, if any readers out there have visited the factory i would love to hear how your experience went.

On another note, i am contemplating putting in a built in Radar Detector... does anyone have any recommendations on which unit i should get and whether or not it is worth doing.

wingedone

 

The CGT came with the K40/Calibre setup built-in, what a load of &%#@ that is. Use the Valentine 1 here with excellent results.

 

is your valentine one a windshield mount or stealth mount?

 

Windshield as the unit has seen time in various vehicles over the years. Am sure a good installer can convert your rear-view for stealth if needed. i basically fed off the power from the lower left driver side fusebox, ran the wire upwards through the window pillar covering and then under the front-most headliner so that the power plug comes out the headliner right by the rear-view mirror. V1 is to the left of the rear-view mirror.

 

i just returned from crewe. absolutely worth the experience ! as you would expect everything is done right. our host/guide,nigel,has worked for bentley for 36 years as has members of his family. tour lasted about 4 hours and included lunch.we started by seeing several old bentleys including the oldest surviving and mr. bentleys bentley.we had an extensive tour of the factory. spoke to a man as he was hand sewing a steering wheel. (he had spoken to the queen) and a lady who hand sews cross stitching in the leather seats.all w12 s are hand assembled . once a month they randomly select 1 engine to test at high speed for 8 hours(and then destroy the engine). there is a quality control group that checks on quality control. all very impressive. most impressive is the work attitude .unsubstantiated rumor an updated GT in about 18 months

 

Does Bentley charge for these tours or is it free like BMW, Ferrari and others offer?

 

there is no charge. i had to go through a bentley dealer to make the arrangements(larry at bentley north brook was great)