1.
B
entley invited a small group of selected
guests to drive its new Bentayga across the
Atacama Desert of Chile and the Salar de
Uyuni in Bolivia, the largest salt flats on the planet.
The idea was to provide customers with the
chance to experience the high-performance
capabilities of the Bentayga, Bentley’s first ever SUV,
across some of the most challenging terrain possible.
The drive covered 1,000 kilometres (620 miles),
at altitudes of up to 4,900 metres (16,076 feet),
where the air was extremely thin, temperatures
ranged from -10° C at night to 35° C, and
participants were often hundreds of miles from
the nearest town or filling station.
How do you organise a one-of-a-kind customer event in one of the most
inaccessible, wildest parts of the world? Finding the answer was a key test
for Bentley and Mobil1 as they pushed the limits of their strategic partnership
in the first of a series of adventure drives called Extraordinary World
COLLABORATION MAKES THE
EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBLE
WORDS: WILLIAM HIGGINS INTERVIEWEES: STEVEN EGAN AND HAUKE BRAACK
THE FIRST IN OUR SPECIAL SERIES OF LINKEDIN ARTICLES FOR BUSINESS LEADERS

2.
2 COLLABORATION MAKES THE EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBLE
“We chose these locations because of the
extremes,” explains Steven Egan, Marketing
Operations Manager at Bentley. “We really wanted
to push the car to its limits in all terrains and give
our guests an experience they would never forget,
including the opportunity of driving across the salt
flats at speeds of up to 270km/h across vast
arid expanses.”
The conditions alone would be daunting for even
the boldest adventurer. But there was another
major challenge to overcome – there was no
reliable supply of the high-octane fuel or engine
oils they needed in Bolivia. It could have been a
major stumbling block were it not for the support
of Bentley’s technical partner, Mobil1.
“Having a partner we could rely on to pull out all
the stops really made the difference,” says Steven.
“They were there for us at every stage, advising
on how to optimise engine performance in these
extremes and exactly how much fuel we’d need
for each journey. Mobil1 used its global logistics
network to help us transport the supplies that
were needed. And when we realised we couldn’t
get the oils we needed in Bolivia, they mobilised
their contacts in Chile to deliver a special shipment
across the Andes to where they were needed in
one of the remotest places on Earth.
“This is why the partnership with Mobil1 is so
special,” he adds. “No ordinary supplier would
have gone to such lengths to deliver for us.
It enabled us to showcase the new Bentayga,
to create a memorable experience for some of
our most engaged customers, and to show
Bentley in a completely new environment.”
The customers who participated in this
South American adventure were surprised and
delighted. One guest remarked: “Thank you for
the opportunity to go on a once-in-a-lifetime
trip. Amazing. The memories will last a lifetime.”
Another said: “The defining moment was when
we returned to tar-sealed roads after five hard
days off-road. There wasn’t a rattle anywhere.”
“Mobil1 used its global logistics network to
help us transport supplies that were needed”

3.
3 COLLABORATION MAKES THE EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBLE
It wasn’t the first time that Mobil1 has helped
Bentley overcome the challenges of extreme
driving conditions. It also assisted Bentley to
achieve the previous Ice Speed World Record, set
in 2011 in the Bentley Continental Supersports.
“For us, it’s about bringing the technical story to
life,” says Hauke Braack, Strategic Global Account
Manager at Mobil1. “In extreme situations, people
can really see why engine performance matters
and how the right oils and fuels are so vital. That
is important for us because you don’t normally
see oils; they simply don’t stir your emotions.
But with a great car and a great story, they
can become a hero.”
“In extreme situations, people can see why engine performance
matters and how the right oils and fuels are so vital”

4.
4 BUILD ON TRUST
1. BUILD ON TRUST
Bentley and Mobil1 have invested in
the relationship since the early 2000s
when they agreed to partner on
lubricants and engine oils. This grew
into a wider formal partnership that
was cemented when Bentley returned
to GT motorsport in 2013. Mobil1 now
sponsors the Bentley Motorsport team
annually through top-level GT races
held around the globe.
“In motorsport, trust is everything,”
explains Will Hunt, Engineering
Manager at Bentley Motorsport.
“It enables you to experiment
and innovate. For example, we’ve
allowed Mobil1 to completely strip
down our engines and look at every
component part so we can optimise
performance. That’s only possible
because we trust them and we know
they’ll keep it confidential.
“Mobil1 has helped us push the
limits of what our engines can do –
much as they in the 1920s did with
the original Bentley Boys when they
supercharged W.O. Bentley’s 8-litre
machines – increasing their service
life and reducing CO2 emissions. It
has also given Mobil1 the opportunity
to test new oils under different
driving conditions and take that
experimental learning back to the
lab to develop new products.”
“In motorsport, trust
is everything”
HOW TO MAKE YOUR PARTNERSHIP RUN LIKE A WELL-OILED ENGINE…

5.
5 INTEGRATE THE PARTNERSHIP INTO EACH BUSINESS
2. INTEGRATE THE
PARTNERSHIP INTO
EACH BUSINESS
The relationship between Bentley
and Mobil1 goes way beyond the race
track and is deeply ingrained in the
operational life of both businesses.
As well as endorsing Mobil1 as its
recommended supplier of engine
oils, Bentley works with its dealer
network to help Mobil1 maximise
penetration in every market where
its cars are sold. “Our relationship
works because we’ve integrated it
into everything we do,” says Steven.
“For example, we invite Mobil1
to our global retailer conference
and arrange for them to facilitate
engaging workshops with our
delegates. They are also woven into
our after sales communications in
support of the retailer network.”
“You need to think about the
details, as well as the big, high-profile
stuff,” says Hauke. “For example,
under the bonnet of every Bentley
there is a plaque recommending
Mobil1. There’s a red thread from
that label to the GT championship
races that ties Bentley and Mobil1
together in people’s minds and builds
their confidence in both brands.”
“Our relationship works because
we’ve integrated it into everything we do”

6.
6 ENSURE YOUR TEAMS TALK TO EACH OTHER
3. ENSURE YOUR
TEAMS TALK TO
EACH OTHER
One of the ways in which Bentley
and Mobil1 have developed their
partnership is by connecting people
from similar roles in both companies,
from the CEO to the factory floor,
making sure that everyone knows
each other and importantly who is
responsible for what.
“A great partnership is much
more than putting two logos
together,” says Hauke. “The brands
need to be a natural fit. And both
organisations have to commit fully
and involve people at every level.
For example, we have developed
relationships between our offices
and representatives all round the
world. They talk constantly and are
empowered to organise their own
joint events locally.”
“The brands need to be a natural fit
and to involve people at every level”

7.
7 ESTABLISH A SOLID FRAMEWORK BUT KEEP IT FLEXIBLE
4. ESTABLISH A SOLID
FRAMEWORK BUT
KEEP IT FLEXIBLE
A key factor in the success of any
strategic partnership is the kind of
agreement you have. Bentley and
Mobil1 have a global framework
agreement that covers everything
from motorsport to road cars,
retailer relationships, marketing
and communications.
Steven explains: “It gives everyone
a clear idea of what we’re doing,
how we operate, who to contact
– and sets out clear roles,
responsibilities, goals and ambitions.
But it is also flexible. Importantly,
it allows room to evolve and to
change plans, if needed.
“Both Power on Ice and
Extraordinary World are examples
of large-scale events requiring an
integrated partnership approach and
fall outside the agreement. They
weren’t written down anywhere.
But we decided to collaborate and
we had the flexibility within the
agreement to divert unused budget
from other joint events to help cover
the costs.”
“Importantly, our framework
allows room to evolve and
to change plans”

8.
8 REVIEW RESULTS AND EVALUATE
5. REVIEW RESULTS
AND EVALUATE
Bentley and Mobil1 also structure
time at least once a year to take
stock of what they’ve achieved
together. They look at the results and
learn from the feedback from events
and activities. “We try to build on the
successes and ask why some things
didn’t work,” says Hauke.
For example, recent feedback
showed that motorsport fans
trackside desired more technical
information, so the partners are
increasing their presence, with new
exhibits to showcase Bentley and
Mobil1 engineering achievements.
“We try to build
on the successes
and ask why some
things didn’t work”

9.
CONTACT
Mobil1
ANDREA JACOBSEN
E andrea.jacobsen@exxonmobil.com
T +49 (0)4102 456990
If you would like more information on Bentley Motors Limited
or Mobil1 partnerships, please contact:
Bentley Motors Limited
STEVEN EGAN
E steven.egan@bentley.co.uk
T +44 (0)1270 387302