Car X6 Concept

The classic appeals of the first Bentley cars come with an even more powerful motoring at the creation of the 2010 Bentley Mulsanne. Designed as a grand tourist car, it is the new flagship vehicle of the luxury line automaker. And what can be said about performance? Its engineers put our expectations forward to an effortless performance of an energy efficient and fuel conserving technology.

Named after the highly esteemed curve and straight of Le Mans 24 Hours where the racing cars push the limits of their speed to the maximum, the Mulsanne will take a smooth and speedy roll in the streets. In the words of Chairman and Chief Executive Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen: "The challenge we set our engineers was to create a grand new 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 handcrafted refinement - the very qualities for which Bentley is renowned."

The Mulsanne will go on sale from mid 2010 but after marking its highly anticipated debut at Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance in California, the first unit was straight off to the auction block and was sold at a half-million mark to an undisclosed bidder over the phone. The price of the auctioned car almost swung down to $300K from the starting bid of $500K simply because Bentley remains tight-lipped about the many other features of the car, which are usually of interest to collectors. There is little detail about the car available for Bentley fans and followers.

It was a very exclusive car, with only 498 short wheelbase versions ever built, and eventually paved the way for the development of the Bentley Turbo R.

Another variant of the Mulsanne is the Mulsanne S, introduced in 1987 in an effort to revitalize the original. It didn't have the extra engine power of the Turbo, but it featured many of the features that would appear in the Bentley Turbo R, like changes in the headlamps, wheels, suspension, and interior. It lasted for five years, with the last Mulsanne S appearing in 1992.

In 2010, the Mulsanne has made a comeback, coming in the form of the new Bentley Mulsanne. Like its original predecessor, it is made to symbolize the best in being a Bentley vehicle, and was made to be the company's new flagship model. It is equipped with a powerful 6.75L V8 engine that is clean enough to meet the Euro V emission standards. Along with this, are redesigned modern interior features, exterior features, and cutting-edge engineering.