For those of you who know their Le Mans quite well, Bentley’s special connection to this intense motorsport won’t come as a surprise. You see, cars from the “Flying B” have bagged over half a dozen wins at this arduous, 24-hour long race. And right at one of the sharpest corners of this track is a small, unassuming village. So, when it came time to christen their new flagship, Bentley decided to name it after that very village. And thus, it came to be known as the Mulsanne. The Bentley Mulsanne first went on sale in 2010, and became the most expensive and most luxurious car that the British brand had ever made.
Handcrafted in the United Kingdom, the Mulsanne is offered with a standard wheelbase and an Extended Wheelbase (EWB). The well-off customers of this Bentley can choose from an almost endless list of customization options to make it truly a cut above. In the United Arab Emirates, the Mulsanne shares its exclusive VIP zone with others like the Rolls-Royce Ghost and Mercedes-Benz Maybach.
Exterior
Where some go for the ostentatious or utterly fashionable design language of the future, Bentley has chosen a very different approach with the Mulsanne. Instead of concealing or camouflaging the immenseness of the Mulsanne, Bentley has done everything it can to actually exhibit their car’s gigantic proportions. The slab-sided features with gentle curves all around and a girth of over 1.92 meters accomplish this perfectly. The front fascia is very Bentley in that there’s the quad-headlight setup along with the trademark rectangular grille design. The size of a small airstrip, the vast yet thoroughly stately hood gets a neat “Flying B” ornament. Meanwhile, the lower portion of the bumper is decorated with plenty of chrome, i.e. around the air vents.
Measuring in at over 5.8 meters in length (EWB), the Bentley Mulsanne’s side profile is dominated by its Pluto-sized chrome wheels, muscular wheel arches, huge doors, thick C-pillars and a relatively-small greenhouse. The over-sized rear haunches lead to the magnificent B-shaped LED taillights, stubby boot, and a neatly integrated bumper with elliptical twin-exhaust pipes. Funnily enough, despite its size, the Mulsanne’s boot can only accommodate up to 446 liters worth of luggage.
Interior
There’s no denying that the interior space of the Bentley Mulsanne is simply astonishing in every way. Almost every imaginable surface is covered/wrapped in expensive leather, wood, aluminum, or suede. Even the plastic used for the switchgear feel premium and are tactile to use. The cabin feels nothing short of palatial, especially in the Extended Wheelbase edition. The Mulsanne’s build quality, attention to details and craftsmanship is truly superlative. A wafty ride, extremely comfortable seats, and bunker-like insulation equates to a first-class travel experience.
The Bentley Mulsanne (EWB) comes loaded with stuff like radar-guided cruise control, adaptive air suspension, power window blinds, power-adjustable massaging seats with heating and cooling, rear Bentley entertainment tablets, panoramic glass roof, an 8-inch touchscreen head unit with navigation, and a 2,200-watt Naim audio system. You also get 8 airbags and a surround camera system, plus a medley of other nannies such as ABS, EBD, EBA, ESC, TCS, HHA, BSM etc.
Engine and performance
Propulsion comes from a massive 6.75-liter twin-turbo V8 motor that makes 505 hp and an incredible 1,020 Nm of torque. Driving the rear wheels via a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission, the 2.7-ton Mulsanne can touch 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds, while unbridled yet hushed insanity comes in at around 296 km/h.
Verdict
The regular wheelbase of the 2019 Bentley Mulsanne starts at 1.8-million dirhams, whereas the Extended Wheelbase avatar (without optional extras) is priced at 2.1-million dirhams. Financing for these two begins at a modest AED 28,056 and AED 32,732, respectively.
