Posted June 14, 2014 by 99MilesPerHour Bentley

2014 Bentley Mulsanne 95

95th Anniversary creation from Bentley UK

It retains exclusivity by fifteen built & reserved for the UK

What is more exclusive than the Bentley Mulsanne?

….The Bentley Mulsanne 95

Bentley is the most sought after luxury car brand in the world. For the 2013 model year, one in every four luxury cars delivered worldwide was a Bentley. To celebrate Bentley’s 95th Anniversary a special “Mulsanne 95” was created. There are 15 unique bespoke editions reserved exclusively for the UK.

Each showcase the ultra-exclusive nature of the Bentley Mulsanne. British-inspired materials and design exhibiting exemplary Bentley craftsmanship are hand-crafted into these unique Flagship automobiles. The colors, unique wood veneers, and range of design cues all augment the Mulsanne 95’s exclusivity and supremacy…

Mulliner, the world-renowned coachbuilder and in-house design studio for Bentley has created another masterpiece. Only from the grand tradition of Mulliner could there be motorcars as distinctive as the Mulsanne 95. Only fifteen of these bespoke motorcars will be built and reserved exclusively for the UK.

They are available in three bespoke exterior colors: Britannia Blue, Empire Red, and Oxford White. The “Flying B” radiator grille mascot was given a dark tint to match the 21” five-spoke aluminium wheels. The Bentley Mulsanne is the superlative Flagship, the Mulliner touch augments its bespoke opulence.

Majestic power…supreme comfort…and legendary performance & silence are all hallmarks of the Bentley Mulsanne. The Mulsanne 95 is an elegant synthesis of contemporary and heritage bespoke features. The cabin’s warm exotic veneers for each of the fifteen Mulsanne 95 editions are from a single huge walnut tree estimated to be between 300 and 400 years old.

It was felled during a heavy storm at Fulbeck Hall in Lincolnshire in 2007. The unique grain features a signature ‘ring’ of wood which encompasses the entire cabin. The complex character of the wood exudes a rippled effect sweeping the cabin elegantly. This unique treatment is highlighted by a blue and white two-tone leather split with red contrasting stitching all eloquently echoing the British theme.

Signature Mulsanne 95 features include illuminated door tread plates that display a “Ninety Five” script and the British Union Jack. The front and rear seats have embroidered “95” emblems as well as the passenger side fascia panel.

The luxurious cabin of the Mulsanne 95 showcases the Mulliner expertise blending contemporary features with luxurious wood veneers and leather hides for which Bentley is renowned. To further refine the Mulsanne, the Comfort Specification adds special head restraints, footrests, and duck down filled loose cushions.

Bentley multi-media with Mulliner Specification

The Entertainment Specification incorporates the latest in-car technology to transform the rear cabin into a rolling boardroom or cinema complete with folding wood tables designed for an iPad and wireless keyboard, and an on-board Wi-Fi router.

The multi-media system is further enhanced with twin 8” LCD monitors located behind the front seat headrests that incorporate a 20 GB hard drive and DVD player operated through the “Naim for Bentley” premium audio system. It also includes two sets of Bluetooth headphones and a dedicated remote control.

The Bentley Mulsanne has a steel monocoque body structure with front and rear energy-absorbing crumple zones. These crucial impact energy-cancelling panels are designed to accordion at a controlled rate to protect the cabin’s integrity. The vault-like door structures are designed to neither burst open nor jam shut during impact.

The simplified body design of the Mulsanne aids its aerodynamic efficiency. The 21st century Bentley utilizes the “Superform” process. Superforming is a hot forming procedure in which a sheet of Aluminium, Magnesium or Titanium is heated and then forced onto or into a single surface tool to create a complex three-dimensional shape from a single sheet.

This “singularity” increases aerodynamics because there are no body seams, the body panels are one-piece thus eliminating areas to collect moisture to accelerate corrosion. The bonnet, front wings, and doors are aluminium while the boot lid is made from a Composite polymer that fully conceals the car’s communication antennas. The Bentley Mulsanne boasts hand-applied paint finishes that are hand-polished to a mirror finish. Exemplary fit & finish are expedited in the traditional Bentley manner.

Bentley has not forgotten that automobiles, first and foremost, are machines of motion…Bentley stands at the pinnacle of British luxury motoring. The Mulsanne is powered by an alloy 6.75 litre twin turbocharged V8 engine that pumps out 505 hp @ 4,200 rpm packing a prolific punch with 1,020 Nm of peak torque @ 1,750 rpm. The engine is equipped with Port injection, twin parallel turbochargers, and indirect intercooling. The engine is mated to a ZF 8HP90 8-speed automatic transmission with manual paddle-shift mode.

Performance is executed in thoroughbred manner pacing from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds, 0-100 mph in 12 seconds with a top speed of 185 mph. It can do the ¼ mile @ 106 mph in 13.4 seconds. A Bentley moves with tremendous verve and élan. The 6.75 litre twin turbocharged V8 utilizes cam phasing and variable displacement which is a first in the ultra-luxury segment.

This sophisticated engine operates on four of its eight cylinders under light loads. The 8-speed automatic transmission uses an electronic shift interface with Sport-Mode and steering wheel mounted paddle shifts…that is if you want to really put the Mulsanne through its symphony of precision engineering prowess…

The Mulsanne’s standard Servotronic speed-sensitive power steering has two selectable settings by its Drive Dynamics Control. This system features four driver-selectable settings for Continuous Damping Control (CDC) and power steering. It has three standard modes: Bentley, Sport, and Comfort. The fourth mode, Custom, enables the driver to fine-tune this system to a preferred driving style.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with ABS, Traction Control, Hydraulic Brake Assist, Electronic Brake Prefill and Automatic Hill-Hold Control further refines the Mulsanne’s limousine-style attitude. The feature I liked most driving a Mulsanne was the ability to disengage the ESC and Traction Control. The Bentley Mulsanne is a large front engine rear drive saloon riding upon a long 128.6” wheelbase, measuring the luxury length at 219.5” with a wide 75.8” stance.

The Bentley Mulsanne gets its road manners from the 21st century. The monocoque construction uses a double wishbone front suspension with anti-roll bar. The rear multi-link suspension has toe and brake reaction control and was specifically designed to accommodate the extreme engine torque.

This highly sophisticated “thinking” suspension is fitted with an electronic self-leveling air suspension with Continuous Damping Control (CDC), automatic ride height control, and remember…it has four driver selectable modes…it continuously monitors the vehicle’s damping to ensure optimum control under any driving situation. The electronic leveling system is also speed and load sensitive. This is the limousine that gives one the irresistible urge to drive as a performance car…

The Bentley Mulsanne has a Twin booster braking system to facilitate the independent operation of front and rear systems. It is equipped with ventilated front and rear discs and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD). This system features “Bentley” Branded front brake calipers, Electronic Parking Brake with Drive-away Assist and Hill-Hold feature.

The Bentley “Mulsanne 95” as with all Bentleys, represents a rare investment in superb technology, the finest materials, and legendary craftsmanship. The Mulsanne 95 and its exclusivity of only fifteen vehicles makes the unarguable statement of personal achievement about its owner. This Mulliner masterpiece is the latest manifestation of Bentley’s incomparable blend of craftsmanship, advanced technology, comfort, and extreme refinement.

The Mulsanne is the descendant of a line of distinguished predecessors…it combines the latest technical thinking with what has already been tried, tested, and true. When one purchases the Bentley Mulsanne 95, they inherit a tradition of craftsmanship and painstaking attention to detail. However much the past is honored, the artisans at Bentley UK look to the future incorporating state of the art engineering and techniques in their relentless quest for perfection…