Happenings

Mulsanne Speed: World's Fastest Road Barge

BY Azfar Hashim

New Bentley flagship offering pinnacle of luxury and performance: 6¾‑litre V8 engine advanced to deliver 1,100 Nm of torque and 13% more efficiency, with new sports suspension and steering

The new Mulsanne Speed is tailored for the driver, with 530 bhp, 1,100 Nm and selectable sports suspension and steering on demand. The reengineered powertrain, featuring Bentley’s mighty 6¾-litre twin-turbo V8, propels the Mulsanne Speed to 100 km/h mph in 4.9 seconds, and on to a top speed of 305 km/h. The extra performance is matched by markedly improved efficiency; a 13% gain means a range extended by 80 km.

A totally redesigned combustion system (including combustion chamber, inlet ports, fuel injectors, spark plugs, and compression ratio) promotes a much faster and more controlled combustion process. Through combining these advances with new variable valve timing and optimised turbocharger control, torque output of the engine has been pushed to record levels: the 1,100 nm worth of torque is available from as low as 1,750 rpm.

The new engine is paired with a recalibrated gearbox designed to enhance the driving experience of the Mulsanne Speed. The gear strategy is optimised for the new, higher wave of torque, and is designed for instant torque delivery on throttle application. A new “S” mode gives the driver even more control, and maintains the engine speed above 2,000 rpm so that the turbochargers are always ready to deliver instantaneous performance. The cylinder deactivation system, that runs the engine as a V4 during light load, has been retuned for smoother transitions between V8 and V4 for even greater refinement.

While the Bentley and Comfort suspension modes provide a comfort-focused and fully compliant chassis setup, the Sport mode stiffens the all-round air suspension for improved body control and adjusts the steering dynamics for greater feedback and accuracy. The driver can also choose to individually match steering, chassis and engine tunes according to personal preference through the Custom setting.

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

As Bentley's latest flagship, the Mulsanne Speed's interior has been given the English 'contemporary luxury' touch. To create a modern two-tone feel, a new and unique colour split is available, with new stitch lines, that balances diamond quilted light-colour hide with darker, smooth hide. A new technical veneer option is available, with Piano Black veneer panels now including expertly handcrafted carbon fibre inlays. These new, contemporary panels have been especially developed for the Mulsanne Speed and match the rich, lustrous finish of the Piano Black veneer.

The Mulliner Driving Specification interior, fitted as standard to the Mulsanne Speed includes diamond quilted hide door panels and seats, indented hide headlining, embroidered Bentley emblems to all seats, coined finish interior door handles and drilled alloy sports foot pedals. Customers choose from 24 different hide colours, in six different colour splits, and ten different veneers (seven as cost options) when specifying their Mulsanne Speed.