When Bentley described its flagship model as first-class air travel on the road, it was no idle boast - the Mulsanne had the presence of a Boeing 747 and the grace of a classic ocean liner.
As Bentley’s former flagship model, the Mulsanne was the epitome of opulence. At over 18 feet long and 2.6 tons in weight, this leviathan of the roads commanded at least as much respect as a Maybach or a Rolls Royce Ghost.
Let's take a closer look at the Bentley Mulsanne.
The Bentley Mulsanne Was King Among Kings
With a starting price of $304,670, the Mulsanne was Bentley’s most expensive model before it was retired last year. When it was unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d’elegance in California in 2009, it was billed by its then chief Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen as “the pinnacle of British luxury motoring”.
It was a clear swipe at Rolls Royce, widely seen as the luxury car brand par excellence. But Dr Paefgen’s confidence was justified. Thanks to Volkswagen’s deep pockets, the firm from Crewe devised a four-year plan designated ‘The Grand Bentley’ that was aimed at redefining the concept of the luxury sedan.
The Bentley Mulsanne Was A car for bespoke-obsessed owners
The car, named after one of the most famous corners at the Le Mans race circuit, was totally new from the ground up and engineered in-house. Each Mulsanne took more than 400 hours to handcraft from start to finish, and picky owners could take their time choosing between 114 exterior colors, nine different book-matched wood veneers and 24 of the finest leather hides.
Each car was fine-sanded before being polished with lamb's wool for 12 hours, which gave it a super-reflective appearance known as the ‘Bentley Mirror Finish’. The sweeping D-pillar in particular came in for special attention, as it was shaped by hand using time-honored coach building know-how.
And unlike the Rolls Royce Ghost, which used some off-the-shelf BMW 7 series components, the Mulsanne’s instrumentation was totally bespoke.
Another glass of bubbly?
The Mulsanne’s palatial interior was reputedly also the biggest of any sedan in the world, big enough in fact to hold a fridge with two Champagne bottles and matching flutes, so that business moguls could enjoy a toast whilst celebrating their latest hostile takeover.
The fridge was located between the reclining rear seats, which also offered under-calf support, while a four-zone climate control with multiple air vents helped maintain the perfect ambient temperature for the occupants after downing all the bubbly.
The heart of the Mulsanne was its iconic powertrain, a 6.75-litre V8 engine whose lineage could be traced all the way back to 1959. Following lengthy development, the unit now pumped out between 505-530bhp.
This meant the 2.6-ton car could hit 60mph from standstill in about 5.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 184mph. Yet it could do it without spilling the passengers’ Dom Perignon because torque curve peaked from an incredible 1,750rpm.
Bentley’s ‘Olde Worlde’ charm
But like all Bentleys, the Mulsanne wasn’t just trying to out-do Rolls Royce on refinement. A fairly low driving position gave a clue as to the sedan’s intentions, strongly suggesting that it was also meant to be driven by enthusiasts. And here’s the rub. By dialing in a sportier feel, the car’s ride was never quite as billiard-table smooth as a Rolls Royce’s.
But being a bit of a bad ass was always part of the Bentley DNA. In the end, no other luxury car was as exquisitely detailed in that ‘Olde Worlde’ sense of the word, or as brutally overwhelming as the Mulsanne.