Whether the Mulsanne truly is the “driver’s choice” in a segment where many owners don’t drive themselves remains to be seen. Certainly, the engine will be key to this, and in true Bentley fashion, it’s the familiar twin-turbocharged 6.75-liter V-8. For use in the Mulsanne, Bentley saw fit to bump output a touch to 506 hp and a whopping 752 lb-ft of torque.
For what it’s worth, Bentley has thrown a small bone to the environment by fitting variable cam phasing to the big eight, as well as—clutch pearls!—variable displacement. That’s right, whenever possible, only half the cylinders will be summoned for duty in order to save gas. Still, we shudder to think of the Mulsanne’s real-world fuel economy.The chassis, however, is all-new, according to Bentley, and is both stiffer and lighter than those of any Arnage, although Bentley declined to say how much the new car weighs. A new Drive Dynamics Control system is operated via a rotary switch on the console to select between Sport, Comfort, and “Bentley” modes, the latter presumably producing a ride smooth enough that the VIP in back may spread clotted cream upon his crumpets with absolutely no risk of spillage.
