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Posts tagged bentley mulsanne
Driven: Bentley Mulsanne Executive
Sep 17th
A chauffeur-driven luxury office on wheels is Bentley’s solution for time-poor plutocrats.![]()
Report: Bentley Mulsanne convertible expected to be greenlit this year
Sep 8th
Filed under: Convertible, Bentley, Luxury
That was quick – it was only was only three weeks ago that the Bentley Mulsanne Vision concept, a droptop take on the brand’s flagship sedan, was sketched out for the Pebble Beach crowd. Now Autocar reports that a production version is expected to be approved later this year, with a launch something like two years away. And even though it hasn’t been officially given the go-ahead, it has a price: “at least £275,000″ ($436,232 U.S.). That price would make for a £50,000 premium ($79,313 U.S.) – at least – over the current UK price of the Mulsanne sedan.
Just as the Continental GTC differs from its coupe sibling, Autocar says the Mulsanne cabrio would be unique from the A-pillars back as compared to the sedan. Shortened by roughly six inches in both length and wheelbase, frameless doors and a lowered windshield will contribute additional rakishness, and note the rear fender treatment meant to evoke the fifties-era Bentley R Type in the upper right corner of the sketch above. At launch it is predicted that power will come from the twin-turbo 6.75-liter V8, but Autocar predicts that V12 power being developed for the production version of the EXP 9 F SUV will eventually find its way up front.
Bentley Mulsanne convertible expected to be greenlit this year originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 17:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Report: Infiniti prices Sebastian Vettel edition FX at $155K
May 11th
Filed under: Performance, Europe, Crossover, Infiniti
When it comes to supercars, the sky is the proverbial limit. You can literally spend millions. And with vehicles like the Rolls-Royce Phantom, Bentley Mulsanne and Maybach, you can spend hundreds of thousands on a top-of-the-line luxury sedan, too. But when it comes to SUVs, prices seldom if ever breach the $100K mark fetched by the likes of the Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.
There are a handful of automakers aiming to break that barrier though. Like the upcoming SUVs from Lamborghini and Bentley, the on-again, off-again Spyker D12, and this, the Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel Version.
Based on the Infiniti FX50 S, the Vettel edition has had the output from its 5.0-liter V8 upped to from 390 horsepower to 414 for a 5.6-second sprint to 60 and a 186 mph top speed. The suspension is said to have been set up by the reigning two-time world champion himself, with the carbon fiber aero kit developed by his Red Bull Racing team. The only change we’ve heard of from the concept car pictured above to the production version will be a more conventional pearl white paint job instead of the matte white of the show car.
Only 200 examples will be produced, with 50 earmarked for continental Europe, and most of the rest likely heading to the Middle East. The price for such a high-end performance crossover? 120,000 euros, or about $155,000 in American greenbacks (if it were actually offered here). Of course if that still seems too slow and too cheap, you could always order a custom Juke-R from Infiniti’s parent company Nissan and smoke some supercars in the process.
Infiniti prices Sebastian Vettel edition FX at $155K originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 May 2012 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Report: Mercedes-Benz G-Class to get twin-turbo V12 AMG version?
Mar 28th
Filed under: Performance, SUV, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury, Off-Road
If you think the Porsche 911 is the champ at incremental revisions through successive generations, then you should have a look at the Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen, whose features change on a scale of geologic, not automotive time. We’ve had a peek at the 2013 G-Class and its new LEDs and mirrors, and at a camouflaged AMG version on test. That AMG, however, will be getting more than new trimmings when it arrives later this year: the twin turbo, 6.0-liter V12 from the SL65 AMG will be tucked under its bonnet. It’s the first time the G-Class has gone with a dozen cylinders.
Since the G55 never got the 6.2-liter naturally-aspirated AMG engine, and so never switched to the G63 name, this could mean that it will stick with the same model name now that it’s getting the twin turbo, 5.5-liter V8 with 536 horsepower. However, Autocar indicates the name will be changed to G63.
That would leave a little less branding daylight between it and the G65, but the power should convince: the bigger boy will have 621 horsepower and 737 pound-feet to work with, mojo enough to move it as fast a Bentley Mulsanne from a stoplight to 60 mph. Both it and the G55 will also get the 7G-Tronic transmission, while the G63 will add stop/start and brake energy recapture.
Mercedes-Benz G-Class to get twin-turbo V12 AMG version? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Geneva: Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification for when more is not enough
Mar 6th
Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Bentley, Luxury
The Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification is a lengthy name for a sedan with a lengthy menu of delicate and expensive details: “Flying B” fender vents, titanium fasteners for the two-piece, 21-inch wheels, drilled alloy pedals, a new Sport setting that provides additional handling chops to a three-ton, 505-horsepower sedan that gets from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds.
Inside, along with diamond quilting and non-perforated tramlines, the hides have perforations shaped like diamonds. Because, you know, who really wants to sit on circles? When the world is not enough you buy a Mulsanne. When the 100 billion stars in the Milky Way aren’t enough you add the Mulliner Driving Specification to it. Check it out in the gallery of high-res photos from the Geneva Motor Show above, and see below for the complete press release.
Continue reading Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification for when more is not enough
Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification for when more is not enough originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Official: 2013 Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification slated for Geneva debut
Feb 23rd
Filed under: Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Bentley, Luxury
Bentley has long been associated with the Mulliner moniker, having comissioned the centuries-old company to design the coachwork for many of its original road cars. In the modern sense, Mulliner is an official department of Bentley, in charge of crafting customized vehicles for those buyers who want something more bespoke than what’s on offer from the automaker’s standard product line. Their latest creation is the Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification, the first time that the Mulliner name has been applied to Bentley’s new flagship sedan.
While much of the Mulsanne remains the same including the twin-turbo 6.75-liter twin-turbo V8, it’s the small touches that set the Mulliner Driving Specification apart. The interior gets unique features such as ‘Flying B’ wing vents and special diamond-quilted leather seats and trim that uses an improved perforation process. The exterior is set apart with new lightweight 21-inch aluminum wheels available in painted or polished finishes as well as subtle Mulliner badging on the front fenders. Customers can also choose from a dizzying array of 100 exterior paint colors and 22 interior leather colors. Finally, a new ‘Sport’ setting allows the driver to select a suspension and steering setup for improved handling and feedback.
The Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification will be making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month alongside the standard Mulsanne that receives a few new options for 2013. Follow the jump for all the details in the official press release from Bentley, or check out the high-res photos in the gallery above.
Continue reading 2013 Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification slated for Geneva debut
2013 Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification slated for Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Bentley checks out VW for potential plug-in hybrid powertrain technology
Jan 24th
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Bentley, Volkswagen

And now, a little bit of news for that huge contingent of people known as Bentley-driving tree huggers.
The ultra-luxury automaker is looking at how Volkswagen is making hybrid powertrains and may add a plug-in hybrid option to future models, UK-based Autocar reported, citing an interview with Bentley engineering chief Rolf Frech.
Bentley is more apt to look at new powertrains now that former Porsche executive Wolfgang Durhemier is running the company, Autocar said. Frech noted that, in addition to boosting fuel economy, electric-drive powertrains are appropriate for Bentley because of the high torque that electric motors provide.
There’d sure be plenty of room for fuel-economy improvements when it comes to a potential electric-drive powertrain in a Bentley. Last February, the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) put together its annual list of “greenest” and “meanest” U.S. production vehicles when it came to environmental impact. Bentley managed to get two cars onto the list – the Bentley Mulsanne and the Bentley Continental GTC. Both V8-powered cars got an EPA-rated 13 miles per gallon combined. The only “meaner” non-SUV or non-truck on the ACEEE list was the Bugatti‘s 16-cylinder Veyron.
Bentley checks out VW for potential plug-in hybrid powertrain technology originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: bentley continental gtc, hybrid powertrain, Bentley engineering chief Rolf Frech, bentley mulsanne, hybrid powertrainsReport: Bentley courting Maybach celebs with letter-writing campaign
Jan 17th
Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Bentley, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, Celebrities, Luxury
When Daimler let slip that Maybach was on the chopping block, the German automaker reportedly insisted that ultra-luxury editions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class would replace the doomed marque. We’re all for a smattering of low volume, seriously pricey S-Class variants, but will the richest and most influential Maybach buyers feel the same way?
Automotive News reports that Bentley is betting that stars like Jay-Z and Samuel L. Jackson will want more than a gussied-up Benz, and the luxury car make is sending out olive branches in the form of a letter campaign. The premium Volkswagen brand is asking the high-rollers to step into a Bentley Mulsanne or perhaps a top-shelf Continental GT. To help persuade VIPs to switch to Bentley, the automaker is inviting select Maybach owners to tour its Crewe, England home.
Given the fact that many typical soccer moms and dads can afford an ML-Class, we can see why some movie stars and sultans would want to steer clear of the Three-Pointed Star. But is Bentley really going to gain much by wooing the 200 annual Maybach buyers? If a few more rap stars roll in a Bentley in their next music video, then the answer would appear to be yes.
Bentley courting Maybach celebs with letter-writing campaign originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Official: Volkswagen Group names Paefgen head of classics program
Oct 4th
Filed under: Classics, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Volkswagen, SEAT, Skoda
You may remember the name Franz-Josef Paefgen. Until recently, the German engineer and executive was head of both Bentley and Bugatti. Before that he was chief executive of Audi, after working for several years at Ford. He technically “retired” earlier this year, but like the cars he helped create, an executive like Paefgen could never really retire. So it should come as little surprise that the Volkswagen Group has named Dr. Paefgen head of its Classic program.
In his new capacity, Paefgen will oversee the historic automobile activities of the entire VW Group, including those of Volkswagen, Seat, Skoda, Audi, Lamborghini, and of course Bentley and Bugatti. It strikes us as a suitable semi-retirement for the man responsible in no small part for the Bugatti Veyron and Bentley Mulsanne, to name just two, and who was decorated in 2006 by the ACO as the “Spirit of Le Mans” for his contribution to endurance racing. Read the official announcement after the break.
Continue reading Volkswagen Group names Paefgen head of classics program
Volkswagen Group names Paefgen head of classics program originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Frankfurt: Bentley Mulsanne Executive Interior Concept is how to roll like a real boss
Sep 15th
Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Sedan, Bentley, Luxury
If you have to to work while being shuttled in the back seat of a car, it’s hard to find a more comfortable mobile office than a Bentley Mulsanne. Still, all of that luxury won’t aid you in spell-checking TPS reports as you’re more likely to be lulled to sleep. Bentley has a new interior concept that will keep you alert, awake, connected and running the show like the boss you truly are.
It’s called the Mulsanne Executive Interior Concept, and it’s way nicer than your office. No, not the office of the person who can afford the car, specifically your office. The British builder of luxuriously exotic automobiles has put together an interior fit for a constantly connected king, which comes complete with a list of items to make sure whatever task at hand is finished before leaving the coddling confines of the Mulsanne.
Rear passengers will enjoy the power-folding wood veneer picnic tables that drop from the backs of the front seats. The tables are home to separate iPad work stations, each of which includes a Bluetooth wireless keyboard. Keeping that iPad and keyboard combo in check is a Mac Mini mounted in the trunk. The Apple product brigade is joined by an iPod that can play music but also serves as the remote control for the rear seat information and entertainment devices. A telephone is nestled into the armrest alongside a Tibaldi pen. If you’re not familiar with the Tibaldi brand of writing instruments, just know that prices range from way-too-much-for-a-pen to worth-more-than-the-car-you-drive. Regardless, we’re sure it takes beautiful notes that pertain to the morning meeting, which you attended from the back of your super luxury sedan.
Once the work is done, you can kick back and relax while watching your company’s stock rise on the ticker rolling across the drop-down 15.6-inch high-definition LCD. It’s mounted on the ceiling and is the perfect tool to stop the driver from sneaking glances at you and your secretary.
Continue reading Bentley Mulsanne Executive Interior Concept is how to roll like a real boss
Bentley Mulsanne Executive Interior Concept is how to roll like a real boss originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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