Bentley Mulsanne Speed revealed
Bentley’s Mulsanne is known to offer ‘the fastest ultra-luxury driving experience in the world’ though it may not have been enough. This is the reason for the introduction of the Mulsanne Speed that is powered by a tweaked 6.75-litre V8 twin-turbo motor that now belts out 530bhp and a gut-wrenching 1100Nm of peak twisting force. The additional 25bhp and 80Nm of output was gained thanks to a redesigned combustion chamber, variable valve timing, and new turbocharger controls.
The more powerful engine helps the nearly 3 ton Mulsanne Speed hit 100kmph from a stand-still in under 5 seconds (bettering the standard model’s time by 0.3 seconds), and reach a top whack of 304kmph. The massive V8 engine is mated to the same eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox, though recalibrated to handle the massive 1100Nm of torque way down at 1750rpm.
The British manufacturer claims that the tweaked engine will also deliver 13 per cent better fuel efficiency due to internal upgrades and improvements to the V8’s cylinder deactivation technology. Under less-than-stressful driving conditions, four cylinders de-activate (effectively turning a V8 into a V4) which results in a better claimed fuel economy of 6.83kmpl, and lower CO2 emmissions.
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Solid forged 21-inch diameter and 265 width alloys, 400mm front and 370mm rear ventilated disc brakes[/caption]
To differenciate the faster Mulsanne Speed from the standard version, the Speed’s exterior has received some subtle, sporty touches. The grilles, wing vents, headlights and tail-lamps all have been finished in a darker, tinted shade. The interiors have also received a similar darker treatment with carbonfibre trim, alloy pedals and a sports gear lever joining the usual raft of soft leather and expensive veneers.
Goodies come in the form of wifi connectivity, an internal 60GB hard drive to store music and films, a 2200watt 14-speaker sound system, two 8-inch rear screens, Bluetooth headphones, electric folding tables, iPad connections, and keyboards that allow passengers to work or relax on long journeys.
The suspension set-up is shared with its ‘standard’ sibling, an adjustable air suspension with a double wishbone front and multilink rear setups. Bentley is quite confident when they say that the Speed will provide a composed and sporty drive whilst still providing passengers with an ultra-comfortable ride.
The car will have its public debut at the 2014 Paris Motor Show at which point, we’ll get prices and more minute details about the Mulsanne Speed. It is expected to go on-sale early next year though when it will come to India is, as yet, unknown.
