Automobile Makes and Models Bentley

Bentley Mulsanne

By daviditer on | From bentley-cars.info

The new Bentley Mulsanne is a high-end luxury car produced by Bentley Motors Limited in the United Kingdom. The name is derived from Bentley's historical racing pedigree, which included five victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans — the Bentley Mulsanne Straight being the stretch of the Le Mans racing circuit where cars reach their highest speeds.

Bentley Mulsanne

Bentley's new flagship model which brings back the Bentley Mulsanne name, and will replace the Arnage, was unveiled at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, on 16 August 2009. The car is expected to go on sale during 2010. Coupe and convertible variants are expected to follow at some point as replacements for the Arnage-based Brooklands and Azure respectively.

It was confirmed at time of launch, that the car will retain the iconic 6.75 L (6750 cc/411 in³) OHV V8 engine, albeit heavily modified to meet Euro V emissions regulations. To achieve the CO2 and emissions reduction as well as improved fuel consumption, the re-designed engine is lighter and features cylinder de-activation and variable cam phasing.

The Bentley Mulsanne is also notable as it is the first flagship car to be independently designed by Bentley Motors in nearly 80 years; the last being W.O. Bentley's iconic 8 litre model in 1930.

Bentley Mulsanne

In the United Kingdom, the 2011 Bentley Mulsanne costs from £225,900 and in the US from $285,000. The first vehicle produced, chassis number one, was sold in August 2009 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance auction for $550,000.

Each Bentley Mulsanne takes twelve weeks to produce, and customers will have a choice of 114 paint colours, 21 carpet colours, nine wood veneers and 24 interior leather hides, and be able to specify a custom colour scheme. Additionally, the car has more advanced technology compared with the Arnage, and can be specified to feature a Naim 2200w audio system complete with MP3 compatibility, with Bluetooth and an advanced MMI capability.

Recently shown at the 2011 LA Auto Show, the Executive Interior Concept (EIC) contains many technologies commonly found in offices to assist executives while on the road. The rear passenger area features 3 LCD screens powered by a Mac mini located in the trunk, with additional Ipads in fold out trays connected thru bluetooth keyboards. Additional features include in-car wifi, Ipods with docking stations, and integration of the many devices to the car's Naim audio system.

Bentley Mulsanne photos