Bentley at the peak of its powers
WHAT do you get if you cross a scalpel with a sledgehammer? A Bentley Mulsanne Speed. The company’s latest flagship model is a wonderful combination of driving precision and brute force.
The Speed struggles along with 530hp and a mountain of torque — 1,100Nm is enough to jump-start a planet — all generated by a smooth 6.75-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. It’s the torque figure which gives the clue as to how this car performs.
When power is requested, it arrives without effort. The engine note changes to a refined rumble and suddenly, the horizon looms rather fast, but this is no neck-snapping bucking bronco, so hurtle status is delivered in an unruffled way.
For a car weighing 2.6 tons, the way it accelerates to 60mph in 4.8 seconds is truly impressive. This is bespoke motoring of a very high order — there is a very wide choice of interior treatments, including 10 different choices of wood and 24 hide colours. At the push of a button, computer keyboard trays glide into action for rear passengers, and there is a fridge for emergency champagne. Even though Bentley is owned by Volkswagen, this model feels very British. The reworked engine is 22kg lighter than in an “ordinary” Mulsanne.
A 190mph car weighing this much was never going to be green, but CO2 of 342g/km is a 13 per cent improvement on the old model. There’s no getting away from its thirst — Bentley claims a combined figure of 11mpg. No doubt Bentley customers can afford it.