Bentley Mulsanne Speed Packs More Punch

The height of luxury gets a little faster as Bentley unveils what it calls the fastest ultra-luxury driving experience in the world with its new pinnacle flagship, the Mulsanne Speed.

Its 6.75L V-8 drives the Mulsanne Speed to a top speed of 190 mph (305 km/h) – a figure Bentley says in unrivaled in the ultra-luxury sector. A 0‑60 mph (97 km/h) sprint is covered in 4.8 seconds.

The extra performance is matched by a 13% gain in efficiency that extends the range on a tank of gasoline by 50 miles (80 km).

The Mulsanne Speed will be unveiled at the Paris auto show Oct. 2 with customer delivery set for the coming northern winter.

Bentley Motors Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer says the new Mulsanne Speed is the car that defines Bentley as a flagship for driving luxury performance.

“Our customers don’t compromise, and we’ve adopted the same approach in the design, engineering and crafting of our new flagship,” he says in a statement.

Bentley’s iconic twin-turbo V-8 has been re-engineered with a totally redesigned combustion system (including combustion chamber, inlet ports, fuel injectors, spark plugs and compression ratio) for a much faster and more controlled combustion process.

Through combining these advances with new variable valve timing and optimized turbocharger control, torque has been pushed to record levels to 811 ft.-lbs. (1,100 Nm) at 1,750 rpm.

The engine is paired with a recalibrated gearbox. The gear strategy is optimized for the new, higher wave of torque and is designed for instant torque delivery on throttle application.

A new “S” sport mode gives the driver even more control, and maintains the engine speed above 2,000 rpm so the turbochargers always are ready to deliver instantaneous performance.

The cylinder deactivation system, which runs the engine as a V-4 during light load, has been retuned for smoother transitions between V-8 and V-4. This combines with a new gearbox control strategy and the engine hardware improvements to give a new level of efficiency for the Mulsanne engine.

Meeting the new EU6 emissions legislation, and designed to comply with upcoming U.S. LEV III standards in the future, the new powertrain records 342 g/km of carbon-dioxide emissions on the New European Drive Cycle.

An even more driver-focused Sport suspension mode is included that stiffens the all-round air suspension for improved body control and adjusts the steering dynamics for greater feedback and accuracy. The driver also can choose to individually match steering, chassis and engine tunes according to personal preference.

The Mulsanne Speed has new and more assertive styling features that are marks of distinction for Bentley’s pinnacle flagship.

A dark tint finish is applied to the exterior stainless steel matrix grilles, in a process unique in the automotive industry, with the radiator grille, lower bumper grilles and wing vents all featuring this treatment. The distinctive headlights of the Mulsanne show the same dark tint application, and the taillights retain the “floating ellipse” design, but are similarly finished with a dark tint for a striking appearance, particularly at night.

The Mulsanne Speed introduces Bentley’s first-ever directional-styled wheel, with a design that is specific to the right and left sides of the car. The 21-in. wheels, available in painted, polished and dark tint with machined accent finishes, are individually machined from solid forged blanks before being perfected by hand.

The cabin of the Mulsanne Speed gets a modern two-tone feel with a new and unique color split available, with new stitch lines that balance diamond quilted light-color hide with darker, smooth hide. A new technical veneer option is available, with piano black veneer panels now including handcrafted carbon-fiber inlays.

A 60GB onboard hard drive is included to store music and video. Electrically-operated tables, with recesses and connections for iPads and matching keyboards, can be fitted to the rear of the front seats. A Wi-Fi router also is standard.

Through June, the Americas remained Bentley’s largest sales region, with 1,388 units sold, ahead of China (1,318) and Europe (825). Sales in Bentley’s home market, the U.K., totaled 713, and in the Middle East Bentley delivered 502 cars.

Last year Bentley posted record global deliveries of 10,120 vehicles, up 19% from 2012.