The Bentley Mulsanne was designed by Bentley Motors. Unlike the Continental T and Azure models, which were produced up to the 2000s, the Mulsanne was produced only until 1992. For the first time Bentley Mulsanne was introduced in 1980. The name Mulsanne is closely related to the sporting history of Bentley, which included 5 victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. "Mulsanne Straight" - was called part of the track in the race, on which cars reached the highest speeds.
Bentley Mulsanne was produced in the sedan. It was designed on the basis of the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit (Silver Spur), which also appeared on the market at the same time. Silver Spirit was taken as the basis for the creation of all models of Bentley until 1998. The novelty was intended to bring to life the true spirit of Bentley, combining high-quality technical equipment with excellent comfort that can be felt inside the elite iron horse. Unlike the Silver Spirit, the Mulsanne model had more rounded shapes. Under the hood, the Mulsanne was fitted with a 6.75 liter V8 power unit from Rolls-Royce, with aluminum alloy cylinder heads.
Initially, the engine was a carburetor, and there were two carburetors called SU in the engine. The abbreviation SU came from the name of the company Skinners Union, which was the developer. In all Bentley Mulsanne models after 1986, the carburetor was replaced with an electronic fuel injector from Bosh.
On all models Mulsanne installed 3-speed automatic transmission. As for the suspension, the car had an independent suspension with twisted springs in front and behind. The sedan was equipped with ventilated disc brakes at the front and simple disc brakes at the back. The standard wheelbase was 3,061 mm. However, when creating the Mulsanne, an extended wheelbase with a size of 3,161 mm was developed (from 1980 to 1987, 49 Bentley Mulsanne cars with an extended wheelbase were created).
It was also created two copies of the Bentley Mulsanne L, which were limousines. In 1982, the Mulsanne Turbo version was presented at the Geneva Motor Show. Its main difference was equipping the engine with a Garrett AirResearch turbocharger. As a result, the power was increased by 50 percent and amounted to 218 hp. As for the interior, there were presented leather and walnut polished panels, exclusive rugs, and the use of high-quality wool. The release of this model lasted until 1985. During this time, 498 cars with a conventional wheelbase and 18 cars with an extended wheelbase were produced. In 1987, Bentley introduced a new version of the Mulsanne called the Bentley Mulsanne S.
Many of the elements of this version were similar to the Bentley Turbo R. These include: rims, interior design and suspension, which already has more sporty settings. The turbocharger of this model was far from perfect and had some flaws in operation. As for appearance, there have been no significant changes in the entire history of Bentley Mulsanne. It is worth noting that in 1989, the usual rectangular headlights of the 80s were replaced by round ones.
In 2010, Mulsanne returned to the Bentley lineup. The executive sedan was designed as an alternative to the outdated Arnage model. The size of the car is impressive. The length is 5575 mm, height - 1521mm, width - 1926 mm, and the wheelbase - 3266 mm. The body is made of steel. In order to reduce the weight of the car, aluminum alloy was used as the material for making the bonnet, front bumper and doors. As for the trunk lid, it is generally made of composite materials. Nevertheless, Mulsanne can not be attributed to the low weight, because its weight is an impressive 2586 kg.
Designers Raul Perez and Robin Page worked on creating a luxurious look. Strict features, an unmistakably recognizable front end and an extended hood - it is simply impossible not to recognize this Bentley car. Interior decoration is made at the highest level. There is more than enough room inside.
In this supercar it is convenient, both on the driver's seat, and on any of the passenger seats. Because of the long bonnet, the landing behind the wheel had to be made higher, otherwise the view would be somewhat limited. Chairs are equipped with motor-controlled settings that are adjustable in 12 directions. You can also adjust the position of the steering column. The seats, despite their softness, have deep-profiled backrests.
As for the second row, instead of the chairs there is a wide leather sofa. In order to provide passengers with a comfortable stay in the car, they installed folding tables, power seats, ventilation, heating and massage functions, however, everything that is in the first row. The speedometer and tachometer, whose scales are located clockwise, are huge and made in the form of antique clocks. Between their dials set the display of the onboard computer. As for the screen of the multimedia system, its developers decided to hide it under a special sliding wooden cover.
The temperature gauges of the coolant and fuel residue in the tank, together with the analogue clock, are placed on a non-standard place - the central panel. They are located slightly higher than the climate control keys and audio system. At the factory of Bentley Motors in the city of Crew, several thousand craftsmen work on the creation of cars. About 50% of production is manual labor. Even body welding sometimes requires manual work, because the seams must be made thinly so that the joined parts of the metal look like one piece. As for the finishing materials, they are of the highest quality. The interior is completely absent plastic.
It is replaced by sapphire crystal. The decoration and decoration are made of natural wood and delicate leather, and the rugs are made of sheep's wool. For seat trim is used only first-class bull skin, as the cow is considered less durable. On the design of a single copy of the Mulsanne takes 18 cow hides.
The pattern of the wooden surface is chosen in such a way that it is completely the same on the right and on the left side. That is why when you look at the dashboard it seems that it is made from a single piece of wood. If the client desires, even exotic wood can be used and any type of processing is applied. V8 engine with a displacement of 6.75 liters. close to perfection.
The power unit has a fifty-year history, it has been consistently improved, so that of the original 500 parts, only about fifty have reached today. The rest was gradually refined. The twin-turbo engine develops up to 512 hp, providing the car with incredible agility. The maximum speed is slightly less than 300 km / h, acceleration to 100 km / h takes 5.3 seconds. Average fuel consumption per 100 km is 16.9 liters.
Thanks to the refinement and changes of the engine meets the current standards of toxicity. It is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission company ZF. There are also paddle shifters for manual gear changes. Rear wheel drive car.
The electronically controlled air suspension works in four modes: the usual Sport and Comfort, Custom mode, which allows you to customize the sedan to your own driving style and Bentley - a suspension mode designed specifically for Bentley cars. It is the most harmonious and gives excellent smoothness. Through the MMI interface, you can adjust the height of the body above the ground. The car is equipped as standard with a 40-gigabyte hard drive, a navigator, an audio system with 14 speakers and many other modern solutions. Of course, the production of such cars can not be massive. Their production is limited by the number of customers. The approach is individual.
For every customer, masters from Bentley Motors have hundreds of suggestions regarding the color and material used to make the smallest detail. So the color palette for Bentley Mulsanne includes 114 standard and a myriad of optional combinations. Bentley Mulsanne is a classic.
