A new star

As far as airport transfers are concerned, it doesn’t get better than this. Straight off the Dubai to Glasgow Emirates red-eye, I am escorted to a waiting fleet of chauffeured Mulsannes. So, my first acquaintance with Bentley’s all-new flagship is from the back seat.

Sinking into the large, sumptuous leather seats, you pull the large door expecting a satisfying thud but it doesn’t quite shut. But before you instinctively reach for the chunky chrome lever to open and shut the door again, an array of electric motors gently closes the door. Behind double-glazed windows and heavy-duty soundproofing, you’re completely sealed from the world. Adding to the sense of isolation are the small windows, which Bentley engineers claim suit most owners who like their privacy, and rear screen and windows with electrically-powered blinds.

Style file

From the outside, the Mulsanne is massive in every dimension and dwarfs every saloon this side of a Phantom. But despite its gargantuan size and imposing presence, there’s a certain grace to the sharply sculpted lines.

The grille and frontal styling cues are clearly taken from the Continental range and the heavily creased aluminium front wings were shaped using ‘superforming’ technology. The Mulsanne is unmistakably a Bentley with its muscular haunches, long bonnet, matrix grille and round headlamps. And though it’s pretty formal, it has an underlying sporty character.

Inside story

The painstakingly handcrafted Mulsanne’s cabin is a work of art, wrapped in meticulously stitched leather and mirror-matched wood veneer with splashes of stainless steel. There’s no sign of industrial plastic except for a few buttons. The new Mulsanne is characterised by a solid band of wood that encases the cabin to give it a rich and classy feel. There’s that delightful smell of leather and customers can choose from a huge range of veneers and leather hide with 24 ‘standard’ colours.

The seat reclines via controls in the centre console, and the deep-pile carpet comes in a range of colours to complement the leather. And for such a massive car, 443 litres of luggage space seems too little but Bentley research says that owners usually travel light.

The rear seat is very impressive with all its space and comfort, and the front seats are equally luxurious. There’s a big sense of occasion when you slip into the driver’s seat. You’re greeted by a vast array of dials and switches and everything just reeks of quality. A fantastic bit of detail is the knurled finish (a diamond-shaped pattern) on the rotary dials and the paddle gear-shifters.

The elegant gear lever with the ‘B’ in the centre doesn’t have a knurled surround but the driver has a lot to play with. There’s an 8-in multimedia screen, which packs in the usual bouquet of satellite navigation (not for India), audio/ video and Bluetooth connectivity. A new Dynamic Drive Control system allows the driver to choose from four settings, which alter suspension rates and steering feel. However, the piece of kit that owners will enjoy most is the state-of-the-art Naim audio system which boasts of a 2200W amplifier (the most powerful in a production car) and 20 custom-made speakers.

Under the hood

Press the starter button (the Mulsanne is keyless) and the V8 comes alive with a faint murmur. Select D and the 2.6-tonne Bentley eases forward. The eight-speed gearbox immediately impresses, slurring between gears seamlessly. Pull the lever back to S or ‘Sport’ mode and the automatic gearbox hangs on to each gear longer. You can also operate the gears via the paddleshifts behind the wheel.

The utterly effortless and stress-free grunt of the 6.75-litre V8 is immediately apparent. Despite its weight, the Mulsanne isn’t close to being slow and will hit 100kph in under six seconds before going onto a top speed of 296kph. But it’s the unfussed manner in which the Bentley gets there that makes this car special. The high-torque and slow-revving V8 engine is an integral part of the Mulsanne’s character and also why Bentley has stuck to the push-rod architecture, 50 years old.

Driver's deal

Of course, the engine has been updated with tech like cam phasing, variable displacement and cylinder deactivation. But with a mountain of torque and eight gears to make full use of, power delivery is delightfully linear. Squeeze the throttle and the car lunges forward, rapidly gaining pace but in a measured way. The Mulsanne’s ability to mask speed is simply astonishing, aided by the hushed interiors and phenomenal ride.

The Mulsanne’s suspension is the car’s masterstroke. Its wide breadth of capabilities can be configured to suit your driving style or road conditions. In ‘Comfort’ mode, you feel like you’re riding on an air cushion — the default setting for Indian customers. Switch to ‘Sport’ mode, and the steering weighs up and the dampers tighten. Leaving it in the ‘Bentley’ mode suits the car’s character, giving it a combination of comfort and sport. And it is in this mode that the Mulsanne genuinely felt best in.

Final verdict

It’s hard to judge the Mulsanne from an Indian perspective but its blend of refinement, luxury, comfort and sportiness won’t make it enjoyable only from the back seat. The good news is that the falling British pound has made the Mulsanne ‘good value’ if it can be called that. The bad news is that it’s sold out till 2011. I trust that Indian customers always know a good deal when they see one.

Spec check

Bentley Mulsanne

Price: Rs 2.9 crore (est)

L/W/H: 5575/1926/1521mm

Engine: V8, 6750cc, twin-turbo, petrol/ front, longitudinal, rear-wheel-drive

Power: 505bhp at 4200rpm

Torque: 104kgm at 1750rpm

Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Brakes (F/R): 400mm ventilated discs/ 370mm ventilated discs


The Personal Telegraph