Are you sad about the announcement of the Phantom? Are you looking for another luxury car to fill the void? Well then Bentley's new Mulsanne may just be what the doctor ordered. Even better, it comes in three different guises; Mulsanne, Mulsanne Speed and Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase. So like milk then... sort of. Bentley say that the new Mulsanne is an 'ultimate statement' of their craftsmanship and I'm sure it will be as it takes 400 hours to make just ONE. This lengthy process is undertaking in Crewe where it is handmade. The Mulsanne will be the flagship of the range and Bentley say it will offer a fresh, new approach for the company.
Just by looking at the interior you can see that the hard work that Bentley has put in has paid off as the cabin looks magnificent. But it's not all leather and tradition though, the Mulsanne will be bang up to date with today's consumer demands. It will feature an 8" inch touchscreen on the centre console which will have all the mod cons but on top of that the front seats will have tablets in the back of them so the back seat passengers can get in on the act. Each one will have access to their very own Android powered 10.2" tablet which will have 4G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Although inside looks fantastic I can't say I'm a massive fan of the exterior, that front grille is a bit too ostentatious for my liking. Having said that I am rather fond on the little grille on the side of the car that has been made to look like a B.
The standard Mulsanne will have 6 and 3/4 V8 engine developing 505bhp meaning it will hit 60mph in 5.1 seconds before reaching a top speed of 184mph. This will be mated with a eight speed auto transmission gearbox. As you can imagine it won't be the most economical car mustering just 19.3 mpg combined. It will be safe though as the range will feature blind spot detection, Advanced Automatic Stability Control and adaptive headlights which have three beam settings- town, country and motorway. It will have air suspension with continuous damping control and also noise absorption technology in the tyres to reduce road noise for added comfort and luxury.
The Mulsanne Speed puts the driver as the main focus and is naturally the fastest. It has a 6 and 3/4 litre twin-turbo V8 engine under the hood which produces 530bhp and a staggering 1,100Nm of torque which is sure to keep the traction control busy! This means a 0-60 time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph. Bentley say the Speed will offer outstanding driving satisfaction with supreme comfort.
The Extended Wheelbase (EWB) on the other hand has the rear seat passengers in mind, offering an extra 25cm legroom. May not sound like much but you would certainly notice the difference. The luxurious seats also feature an airline style extending legrests meaning that a passenger can choose between upright, relaxed or reeclined positions. Sounds very nice doesn't it? I'm surprised Bentley have not put in a drinks globe for good measure... And if you want a bit of privacy then you can choose from either black or champagne coloured lined curtains.
The car will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show and will be delivered in the Summer