- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
6.8TT, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
377kW, 1020Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (98) 15L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Bentley Mulsanne Speed first drive review
Royal crests tucked onto the corner of Bentley press material surrounding the new Mulsanne Speed could not be more appropriate.
The House of Windsor represents the past, present and future of the United Kingdom in a bridge between modern Britain and the feudal crucible in which it was formed, while offering a glimpse of the future in new generations of leaders
Bentley's flagship Mulsanne joins past and present in a similar manner, straddling the gap between modern and vintage motoring like no other car on sale. But it's not easy to tell whether the model's features are confused, conflicted or a genius mash-up of old and new to rival Otis Reading's recent beyond-the-grave crooning alongside hip-hop stars Jay-Z and Kanye West.
Rap stars and royals alike will be drawn to the prestige, panache and gangster cool of an imposing motorcar powered by the oldest engine in production. Though Bentley's six-and-three-quarter-litre L-series V8 draws direct links to the 1960s, modern touches such as cylinder-on-demand technology keep it relevant and in compliance with increasingly strict emissions laws.
It's a similar case on the inside, where the hand-laid carbon fibre trim, a first for a Bentley limousine, puts a modern spin on the timeless art of timber marquetry.
Used by the likes of McLaren, Ferrari and Lamborghini as a means of building a stiffer spine for supercars, the carbon serves here as a shimmering totem to modern motoring while retaining the craftsmanship required at this level.
The brand's repurposing of the traditional performance material as a stylish embellishment extends to a composite boot panel that serves as an isolative sounding board for GPS, TV, radio and telephone antennae that would otherwise have blighted its carefully sculpted silhouette.
Bentley's somewhat cavalier approach to technology continues in that it does not offer basic lane departure or blind spot warning systems common in cars that cost five per cent of the Mulsanne's price, yet designers decided that simply gluing "speed" badges to its flanks would be an inelegant solution and instead laser-engraved a perfectly snug recess for the five-letter script into stainless steel brightwork placed behind the front wheels.
Priced a little over $730,000 plus on-road costs, the Mulsanne Speed also leaves safety features such as a reversing camera or active cruise control to its extensive options list, yet Bentley boasts that the model's standard 21-inch wheels are the only items on the road milled from single alloy blocks to asymmetrical designs that exaggerate the forward rotation of its spokes on both sides of the car.
Buyers will want to put aside closer to $800,000 for the full Mulsanne experience, which includes a thunderous "Naim for Bentley" 20-speaker stereo, rear-seat picnic tables complete with iPads, keyboards and Wi-Fi or a beautifully finished champagne fridge for spacious rear pews that offer Business-class levels of gadgets and comfort.
Our test model had more than $100,000 in options yet remained the least endowed of demonstrators available during test drives in deserts surrounding Dubai.
Moving beyond dark-finished grilles, rifled exhaust pipes, two-tone seats, smoked lights and carbon fibre cabin details that serve as cosmetic upgrades over the regular Mulsanne, the new Speed also features retuned air suspension along with more oomph for its motor and a recalibrated transmission.
Straight and smooth roads in the gulf flattered the biggest Bentley, which may not have shone quite as bright on serpentine switchbacks with the potential to highlight the 2685 kilogram kerb weight that makes it the heaviest passenger car on sale.
With well-weighted and accurate if slow steering, the Bentley offers reassuring levels of grip and impressive composure when pressing on. The upgraded suspension retains the same plush settings as the standard Mulsanne in regular or comfort modes, but takes on a stiffer edge when pressed into its sport setting. The same can be said of an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission that now features a responsive sporting mode more eager to hold onto gears, shift down under brakes and make full use of the twin-turbocharged V8's narrow power band.
A redline set at just 4500 rpm could fool drivers into thinking that Bentley had borrowed a frugal diesel motor from Volkswagen Group siblings and slipped it underneath one of the longest bonnets in new cars today.
But the understressed lump puts paid to that notion with 395kW and 1100Nm outputs - up from 377kW and 1020Nm in the standard car. The Speed struggles for traction initially before hitting its straps at around 50km/h and reeling in the horizon with a deep and distant rumble more readily heard in top-notch powerboats than luxury sedans.
With the ability to reach 100km/h in 4.9 seconds en route to a 305km/h top speed, the Mulsanne is like Jonah Lomu in his rampaging All Blacks prime, an unstoppable force pummelling lesser creatures out of his way with a surprising turn of pace.
Undoubtedly irrelevant for 99.9 per cent of new car buyers, the Mulsanne remains a magnificent anachronism that makes our roads a richer place.
Likely to be as divisive as its royal counterparts, the finest Bentley on sale is nothing less than a car fit for a king.
Bentley Mulsanne Speed pricing and specifications
Price: $733,386 plus on-road costs
On sale: June 2015
Engine: 6.75-litre twin turbo V8
Power: 395kW at 4200rpm
Torque: 1100Nm at 1750rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Fuel use: 14.6L/100km
Performance: 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds, 305km/h.