Bentley Mulsanne (2010)

Bentley Mulsanne
Overview
Manufacturer	Bentley Motors
Production	March 2010 – June 2020
Assembly	United Kingdom: Crewe (Bentley Crewe)
Designer	Dirk van Braeckel (2007) Robin Page (interior)
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size luxury car (F)
Body style	4-door saloon
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Powertrain
Engine	6.75 L twin-turbocharged Rolls-Royce - Bentley L-series V8
Transmission	8-speed ZF 8HP automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	3,266 mm (128.6 in) 3,516 mm (138.4 in) (EWB) 4,266 mm (168.0 in) (Grand Limousine)
Length	5,575 mm (219.5 in) 5,825 mm (229.3 in) (EWB) 6,575 mm (258.9 in) (Grand Limousine)
Width	1,926 mm (75.8 in)
Height	1,521 mm (59.9 in) 1,541 mm (60.7 in) (EWB)
Kerb weight	2,650 kg (5,840 lb) 2,730–2,751 kg (6,019–6,064 lb) (EWB)
Chronology
Predecessor	Bentley Arnage

The Mulsanne is a full-size luxury car that was manufactured and marketed by British automaker Bentley Motors from March 2010 to June 2020. It served as the flagship automobile for the company during its production run. Honorifically, the Mulsanne was referred to as "The Grand Bentley" during its development.^[1]

Replacing the Rolls-Royce-based Arnage, the Mulsanne was Bentley's first independently-built automobile since the 8 Litre, of which W. O. Bentley conceived. Unveiled initially at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the Mulsanne retained two key elements from the Arnage—rear-wheel drive with the front axle centerline optimally positioned forward, and a 6.75-litre push-rod V8 engine equipped with twin-turbochargers. The individualistic headlamps were designed to resemble those of the Jaguar S-Type from the 1960s. Throughout its ten-year manufacturing period, Bentley produced approximately 7,900 examples at the Crewe facility in England. The Mulsanne has generally been well received, with Jeremy Clarkson, best known for his appearances on Top Gear, claiming that the ride is quiet and the torques were great while criticising the number of switches and the fact that it was less "tasteful" than a Rolls-Royce Ghost.^[2]

In 2005, development work on the Mulsanne officially commenced under the codename "Project Kimberley", the name of which was inspired by the Kimberley diamond originating from South Africa. Styled by Belgian automobile designer Dirk van Braeckel, the Mulsanne is a four-door sedan which was offered in two body lengths: short- and extended-wheelbase. Incorporating various internal and external elements from the Arnage, it employs a blend of high-strength steel and lightweight aluminium. The team that assembles the Mulsanne is composed of 298 Bentley employees. The interior was designed under the direction of British automobile designer Robin Page, who also led that of the second-generation Continental GT. Each individual unit undergoes a meticulous process that takes 400 hours (2 weeks), of which 136 hours (five days) are dedicated to interior trimming.

Production of the Mulsanne concluded on 25 June 2020, signifying not only the end of its ten-year manufacture but also the end of Bentley's 6¾-litre engine after a consecutive 61-year production period.^[3] The 6¾-litre V8 engine, introduced in 1959 and heavily revised and updated in 2010, could not be updated any further to meet the increasingly stringent emission regulations, namely CO
₂ emissions.^[4] No replacement for either Mulsanne or 6¾-litre V8 engine is planned. Instead, the third generation Flying Spur would succeed the Mulsanne as Bentley's flagship model.