IT REPRESENTS THE PINNACLE of luxury cars, according to Bentley, and while Rolls-Royce might have some thoughts on that, the 2011 Bentley Mulsanne certainly has an arresting presence.

Revealed at August’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, the all-new Bentley - previously known only as the Grand Bentley - draws its inspiration from the 8-litre Bentley of the early 1930s, the largest and most luxurious car of its time.

Today, the British luxury carmaker has revealed a new gallery of images, including photos of the Mulsanne’s previously unseen interior.

Bentley is withholding many of the finer technical details until the car’s appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but the British luxury marque has revealed that the Mulsanne will be powered by a redesigned version of the Arnage’s 6.75 litre V8.

Every facet of the V8 has been revised. Bentley says the new engine will offer vastly improved acceleration and performance through the rev range, as well as superior fuel efficiency and emissions levels.

The 2011 Bentley Mulsanne is an all-new model, designed and engineered at the company’s Crewe factory in the UK, where it will also be built.

This all-new model isn’t the first Bentley to bear the Mulsanne name, with the original Bentley Mulsanne - built from 1980 until 1992 - created to offer the same performance-focused drive as the new 2011 model.

Bentley says the new Mulsanne is not an evolution or replacement for the Arnage, but rather a unique new model designed to embody the spirit of W O Bentley’s original passion for performance and luxury.

Introducing the Bentley Mulsanne at Pebble Beach, Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors, said:

“The challenge we set our engineers was to create a grand new Bentley that would stand as the pinnacle of British luxury motoring, offering the world’s most exclusive driving experience.

“They have responded to this challenge with real passion and the result is a luxury grand tourer that sets new standards in terms of comfort, effortless performance and hand-crafted refinement – the very qualities for which Bentley is renowned.”

The 2011 Bentley Mulsanne will go on sale in Europe from the middle of next year, with a worldwide market launch to follow soon after.

GALLERY » 2011 Bentley Mulsanne