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Published on
Sun, Aug 16, 2009
By:
The LACar Editorial Staff
Mulsanne unveiled at Pebble Beach
PREVIEW: BENTLEY MULSANNE
A GRAND NEW BENTLEYNew Bentley Mulsanne Makes World Debut at Pebble Beach
Concours D'Elegance
By Roy Nakano
After countless makeovers of the Arnage design and an equal number of variations
of the Continental, I wasn't quite prepared for an all-new vehicle from Bentley
Motors. But that's just what Bentley introduced at the 2009 Pebble Beach
Concours D'Elegance in Monterey, California.
Bentley says the new Mulsanne is inspired by the company founder W.O. Bentley's
crowning achievement in 1930, the 8-litre. This early motoring work represented
the last big Bentley that was designed, engineered and built from the ground up
by Bentley engineers - until now.
Nearly 80 years later, while paying respect to this illustrious past, the new
Mulsanne is the company's modern statement of luxury driving and grand touring.
Conceived, styled and engineered entirely at Bentley's headquarters in Crewe,
England, the Mulsanne, with its completely new and unique platform, goes into
production next year in a new manufacturing facility within the Crewe factory.
Introducing the Bentley Mulsanne at Pebble Beach, where Bentley was the featured
marque, Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors,
said:
"The challenge we set our engineers was to create a new grand Bentley that would
stand as the pinnacle of British luxury motoring, offering the world's most
exclusive driving experience. They have responded to this challenge with real
passion and the result is a luxury grand tourer that sets new standards in terms
of comfort, effortless performance and hand-crafted refinement - the very
qualities for which Bentley is renowned."
The Bentley design team was lead by Dirk van Braeckel. "From the very first hand
sketches in the styling studio, we were inspired by the traditions of the grand
touring Bentleys and have sought to evolve this story for a new generation of
Bentley enthusiasts."
The return of the Mulsanne name to a car carrying Bentley's iconic 'Winged B'
emblem underlines the company's racing pedigree and nowhere reflects that
heritage better than the famed Le Mans circuit, the scene of no fewer than six
Bentley triumphs. Few places offer a stronger or more emotive connection with
the Bentley marque than the famed Mulsanne corner.
"The 8-litre's breathtaking performance and quality was perhaps the finest
example of a 'pure' grand Bentley. Every mechanical detail carried W.O.
Bentley's unique stamp and it was the clearest demonstration of a car built
without compromise" commented Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn, Member of the Board
Engineering.
"The Mulsanne has been designed with exactly the same guiding principles, so it
is entirely fitting that these Bentleys from different eras share the same
stage."
The Bentley Mulsanne will go on sale from mid 2010. It will also be displayed at
the forthcoming IAA Frankfurt Motor Show (15-27th September, 2009) where Bentley
Motors will provide additional product information.
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