The Bentley Mulsanne has ended production after more than a decade
It's the end of an era for Bentley's long-lived 6.75-liter V8 engine, too.
Sad reacts only.
Everybody pour one out for the Bentley Mulsanne, as the massive flagship superluxury sedan ended production yesterday after 11 years and more than 7,300 cars built. Introduced in 2009, the Mulsanne replaced the aged Arnage and was designed from the ground up on a new platform. Each one was hand-built at Bentley's factory in Crewe, England.
This also marks the end of the line for Bentley's venerated 6.75-liter V8, which has been in continuous production since 1959. In the Mulsanne the engine was fitted with two turbochargers and produced 505 horsepower and 752 pound-feet in "standard" form, or 530 horsepower and 811 lb-ft in the Mulsanne Speed. The Mulsanne has been the only Bentley to use this engine since the Brooklands died in 2011, as all other models use Volkswagen-derived V8s or W12s.
Bentley released photos of the penultimate Mulsanne to roll off the line, a 6.75 Edition by Mulliner painted in an interesting Rose Gold over Tungsten scheme that will be going to a customer in the US. Wondering what the very last Mulsanne to be built looks like? Bentley says the final Mulsanne is "extremely special," but how it looks and where it is headed will remain "a closely guarded secret." Here's hoping it shows up at Pebble Beach in 2034 or something.
Bentley says that in lieu of the Mulsanne, the Flying Spur sedan is the brand's flagship for now. Don't get us wrong, the Flying Spur is amazing, but it just can't match the sheer presence and actual physical size of the Mulsanne. And while the Mulsanne won't get a direct sedan successor there's the potential for a larger and more luxurious Bentayga SUV to take up its mantle -- sedans are dying off, after all. Another option for a future range-topper is something even more special and coachbuilt following the roofless Bacalar.
With Bentley aiming to introduce an electric car in the near future, I'd love to see something absolutely gigantic like the recent EXP 100 GT concept enter production. Electric platforms offer a lot more freedom when it comes to both exterior packaging and interior design, allowing for more radical looks and features. But no matter what comes next from Bentley, I'm just glad the Mulsanne existed at all.