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2015 Bentley Mulsanne Speed

Why does the Bentley Mulsanne Speed exist? Sam Graham, product line director for the Mulsanne, tells us Bentley's Western customers demanded it, many driven by memories of the Arnage T - the hotted-up version of the Arnage R. The Arnage T, you may remember, arrived in 2002 and threw down 459 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque on its way to being billed the most powerful production Bentley ever. Today's Mulsanne Speed picks up the torch and takes it all the way to the Olympic stadium.
Driving Notes
It starts with an upgrade to 530 hp at 4,200 rpm and 811 lb-ft of torque at a limbo-esque 1,750 rpm. That's an additional 25 hp and 86 lb-ft compared to the standard sedan, enabling a top speed of 190 miles per hour. That torque figure makes it second only to the Bugatti Veyron among production cars, and that terminal velocity makes it the fastest ultra-luxury sedan on God's Own Green.

Bentley Mulsanne 6.75 Edition is the sedan's sendoff into retirement

Bentley is closing the latest Mulsanne chapter with 30 examples the Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner, celebrating the 61-year-old V8 that first appeared in the 1959 Bentley S2. Once those 30 cars have been built, the name retires for the second time — after being used on a flagship sedan from 1980 to 1992 — and the Flying Spur takes over as the carmaker's top-tier offering. Starting with the 530-horsepower Mulsanne Speed, the 6.75 Edition adds gloss black and bright chrome jewelry, including a dark tint for the Flying B hood ornament, Mulliner radiator, and exhaust finishers. There are also chrome badges, bright machined faces with black pockets for the 21-inch, five-spoke wheels, and welcome lighting that flashes the special edition name. Under the hood, the normally silver intake cover gets dressed in black, and the engine number plaque bears the signature of brand CEO Adrian Hallmark instead of the engine builder. The interior can be specced in four single-color hides, either Beluga, Fireglow, Imperial Blue, or Newmarket Tan. All are automatically contrasted with silver — silver-painted veneer, silver seat piping and silver sheen that shows through the ventilated thrones, an instrument panel in high-gloss Grand Black, and door trim in Dark Engine Spin Aluminum. Other touches to mark the occasion are ventilation controls designed to look like the engine oil cap, cutaway drawings of the engine on the gauges and clock face, and more 6.75 Edition stitching and badging. The carmaker pointed to the end of the 6.75-liter V8 four years ago, but that was when there were plans for a successor to be powered by a new V12. Times having changed, the Flying Spur will lead the way with its 6.0-liter W12 and 4.0-liter V8 engines sourced from Volkswagen, and a hybrid model coming for 2023.  Bentley didn't mention a price for the Mulsanne 6.75 Edition, because of course. But the 2020 Mulsanne Speed starts at $342,300. Start there and add money.

Bentley recaps its 100 years in a $250k book

Bentley's 100th anniversary might be remembered more for the book that celebrates the milestone more than the cars. The carmaker worked with Opus, a "luxury publisher" with the tagline "Greatness immortalized greatly," on a tome that tells the story of the last 100 years. The limited-edition result of their work weighs roughly 66.5 pounds, is filled with exclusives, can be customized like a Bentley, and can cost more than a Bentley. There will be three versions, in Centenary printed in a run of 500, the Mulliner printed in a run of 100, and 100 Carat with just seven examples, representing the seven continents. All come wrapped in hand-bound leather from the same herds that provide hides to Bentley cars, buyers able to choose what color leather they prefer. The cover is adorned with nothing other than the same special Bentley badge that gets affixed to cars during this anniversary year. The content begins with a foreword penned by well known collector Ralph Lauren. Then the book spends nine chapters and more than 800 pages telling the story of W.O. Bentley and his Le Mans racers before lavishing time on the decades of brand-defining grand tourers, the limited editions, the one-offs, the designers, the craftsmanship, and the sports cars that have brought us to today's GTs and limousines. In the last chapter, called "The Future," current brand CEO Adrian Hallmark expands on what the next century will bring. Never-before-seen content in every edition includes historical photos, new photography shot by Opus, and gatefold pages with artwork that spreads nearly 6.5 feet when fully opened. The "entry-level" Centenary edition costs GBP3,000, or $3,800 in green money. The Mulliner edition adds extras like 20-inch by 24-inch Polaroid photos highlighting ten of Bentley's landmark cars, and 56 watercolors painted on silk paper. A piece of the left front Michelin tire from the Bentley Speed 8 that won Le Mans in 2003 will grace the inside cover of the Mulliner's clamshell case. Owners can go further with customization, having their own Bentley photographs included in their copies, or having their cars photographed by Opus to be included. More equipment means more money, the Mulliner edition costing GBP12,500, or almost $16,000. Beyond the Mulliner's bespoke options, the 100 Carat edition encrusts the book with 100 carats of diamonds and a wings badge set in either white gold or platinum.