2018 Bentley Mulsanne

Trims and Features

Trim	Base	Speed	Extended wheelbase
MSRP	$304,670	$335,600	$400,900
Key Features	Polished stainless steel Mulsanne tread plates and commissioning plates	Dark tint stainless steel matrix to front wing vents	Voice control for all major systems and operations
	Wide oval polished stainless steel exhaust tailpipes	Solid stainless steel 'Speed' badge fitted to front wing lower bright ware	Satellite navigation system integrated in vehicle's hard disc, ensuring fast route calculation
	Twin Bi-Xenon projector headlamps with LED halo for supplementary main beam, light-sensing auto operation, daytime running light signature and integrated washer jets	Polished stainless steel 'Mulsanne' and 'Speed' tread plates	Four map configurations including 3D topographical maps and city views and day/night display modes
	Floating-ellipse style, LED rear light clusters and discreet high-level stop lamp to rear screen	Rifled exhaust tailpipes	7-digit postcode destination entry, active traffic information
	Color-keyed, electronically adjustable door mirrors with heating, power folding, reverse-dip, two memory positions, electro-chromatic dimming and integrated puddle lamps	Twin dark tint Bi-Xenon projector headlamps with LED halo for supplementary main beam, light-sensing auto operation, daytime running light signature and integrated washer jets	Mulsanne audio system with 14 speakers, two subwoofers, powered through six channels, with digital sound processing
	Full iPod and MP3 player compatibility including full-color album art display and video playback	Dark tint floating-ellipse style, LED rear light clusters and discreet high-level stop lamp to rear screen	Full iPod and MP3 player compatibility including full-color album art display and video playback
	Digital radio (DAB) or satellite radio (SDARS) depending on market	Full iPod and MP3 player compatibility including full-color album art display and video playback	Digital radio (DAB) or satellite radio (SDARS) depending on market
		Digital radio (DAB) or satellite radio (SDARS) depending on market	Unique, hide-lined iPod drawer, with integrated connector, designed for storage and connection of multimedia devices. Supplied with two fly leads with connectors for iPod/iPhone Micro USB for other smartphones including BlackBerry

 

The 2018 Bentley Mulsanne comes in a standard wheelbase and an extended wheelbase which offers around 10inches extra legroom but costs a whopping 100 grands more on the invoice. Also, If you don't really mind burning your pocket a little more what you already are, Bentley offers the Mulsanne speed that is the faster version of the two offering 25 more horsepower.

Bentley Mulsanne offers extensive options to help the buyer customise the car according to its needs. BUT, mind you! Options on the trims can take the price of the car close to half a million dollars.

We Recommend

Buying the Mulsanne completely depends upon the user and his preferences and needs. Though, we recommend to go for the standard Mulsanne version as it offers almost the same specs apart from the extended wheelbase and saves your pocket getting deprived of a whopping $100,000 for just a couple of inches of legroom

It's like a country house with a thruster from the space shuttle attached, a mighty 752lb ft of torque arriving at just 1,750rpm- motor1.com

Even though the Bentley is known for its comfort and luxury for decades, what good will all this luxury be if it won't even be able to take you to office on time? Or perhaps, let you see a Honda Civic easily go past you on a highway?

Beneath the massive hood of the Bentley Mulsanne lies a monstrous 6.75L Twin turbocharged V8., producing 506 bhp and 763 lb-ft of torque. This has made bentley produce a car that is not only stupendous on the inside but has a heart pumped up with power and torque to make your experience of riding the Mulsanne an even more thrilling one.

Cruising from low to high speeds and vice versa in the Bentley Mulsanne seems like a piece of cake, all thanks to the extremely efficient 8 speed automatic transmission that offers seamless and imperceptible gear changes with no engine noise in the cabin. Not that it really matters for a super luxury car but this one can achieve a top speed of 184 mph at ease. YES! You heard it right! With your Mulsanne, you can easily go up to 184 mph whilst sitting at the rear in ultimate comfort. Performance figures like these are truly unheard of in any other car 4 door luxury car, making the Mulsanne a truly spirited drive in all aspects.

Also, if this much power doesn't excite you, you can shed out a few more bucks for The Bentley Mulsanne speed that sports 25 more horses than its standard models. With the Mulsanne speed, a clear sign chugs out that Bentley is trying to match to the likes of the legendary Rolls Royce Ghost.

Models	Bentley Mulsanne	Mercedes Benz Maybach S S650	Rolls-Royce Ghost II
MSRP	$304,670	$198,700	$339,775
Engine	T Twin-Turbocharged 6.8L V8 SMPI	6.0L SOHC Bi-Turbo 36-Valve V12	Turbocharged 6.6L V12 DOHC
Transmission	8-speed automatic	7-speed automatic	8-speed automatic
Horsepower	505 hp @ 4200 rpm	621 hp @ 4800 rpm	563 hp @ 5250 rpm
Torque	752 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm	738 lb-ft @ 2300 rpm	605 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm

The Mercedes Benz Maybach S650 takes the lead when it comes to power and speed, all thanks to its Turbocharged V12. Even though it has a massive 6.8L engine, which is the biggest amongst its competitors, the Mulsanne still isn't able to match the competition because of the 8 cylinders which are good, but not the best in the segment.

Acceleration

Super luxury cars are not really meant to be tested on a drag strip, because of all the over loaded features that add on the weight. Given this fact, the Bentley Mulsanne still performs fairly well in its segment but is not nearly as quick as its competition.

Models	Bentley Mulsanne	Mercedes Benz Maybach S650	Rolls-Royce Ghost II
0-60 MPH	5.3 sec	04.6 sec	4.8 sec
Quarter mile	13.1 sec	13.1 sec	12.7 sec
Engine	6.8L	6.0L	6.6L
Emission (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	12.6	11.1	12.6

The 2018 Bentley Mulsanne's competitors easily manage to brush past the Mulsanne because of its massive 7716 pounds of weight, wherein the Maybach S650 being the fastest of the 3.

Ride and Handling

Cruising along the city in the bentley is as smooth as butter slipping on the surface of a pan, but this level of comfort and ease is only enjoyed best in the rear cabin of the car

Given the fact that the Mulsanne is one of the widest and longest cars in its segment, it makes it a bit of a task for the driver to pilot the Mulsanne along small city roads even on tight corners.

But all thanks to the car's hydraulically assisted steering along with the intelligent side view cameras on the infotainment, driving this wide car becomes much more easier on the roads. Even though flinging this car through corners seems hardly appropriate, still, the smooth gear changes, the steering response and handling all have been sharpened to a point where the car disguises its bulk beautifully.

Braking

The 2018 Bentley Mulsanne given its massive engine with quick acceleration and top speeds under a heavy chassis building the curb weight close up to 6000 lbs truly requires some strong braking prowess to hold this beautiful beast to a stop.

Model	Bentley Mulsanne	Mercedes Benz Maybach S650	Rolls-Royce Ghost II
Brake Front (in.)	15.7	15.4	16.1
Brake Rear (in.)	14.6	14.4	15.8
Curb Weight (lbs.)	5919	5,296	5490
60-0 MPH (ft.)	N/A	114	107

The Bentley Mulsanne comes with standard brakes that do the job pretty well amongst the competition, given the car's weight. The mulsanne also offers high performance carbon ceramic brakes that are optional.

One thing that really disappoints us is the fuel economy of the Mulsanne. Pop up the hood, and under the vast bonnet you will find the same old twin turbo 6.75L V8 that Bentley has been using for quite a long time now. This has been updated with what Bentley calls as the Variable displacement, where 2 cylinders from each side can shut off when not needed thus saving fuel consumption. Even after all this technological advancement under the hood, the Mulsanne's fuel economy performance is still not at par with its competition and is quite unimpressive.

Model	Bentley Mulsanne	Mercedes Benz Maybach S650	Rolls-Royce Ghost II
MPG (city)	11	13	12
MPG (highway)	18	21	19
MPG (combined)	14	16	14
Tank Capacity (gal)	-	-	-

A combined fuel economy of 14mpg is underwhelming but considering the fact that it is not lower than its competitor, the Rolls-Royce Ghost and is in fact, at par with it, is still acceptable for a car in this segment that is as heavy as hulk.

Few places are nicer to be than the inside of a Mulsanne. The wood looks so deep and lustrous it could have grown in place before being polished; and the leather is so soft it\u2019s like the cows had a rigorous daily shiatsu routine- cars.com

Bentley is always known for the premium class of its interiors and the high grade material used throughout the car.

The attention to detail that Bentley has given to the Mulsanne is astounding. Quirks such as automatic sunshades, buttons to control the entire rear seat including lumbar support, back support and headrest along with an optional massaging function and leather wrapped interiors all around, even on the speakers, has made us spellbound.

Besides the leather wrapped interiors, the interior features fine wood and polished silver metal all around.

Model	Bentley Mulsanne	Mercedes Benz Maybach S650	Rolls-Royce Ghost II
Passenger capacity	5	4	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	40.1/-/41.9	39.7/59.7/41.4	40.6/59.4/41.7
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	38.1/-/42.9	39.2/-/59.1	39.0/55.8/42.3

• Quad zone climate controls
• Optional massaging function
• Leather wrapped interiors throughout
• 20 speaker 2200 watt Naim audio system
• 10.1 inch tablets for each rear passenger

Infotainment

The 2017 Bentley Mulsanne features a slew of gadgets and tech \u2013 from its new 8-inch capacitive touch screen to a built-in 60 GB solid state hard drive, the Mulsanne has spared no expenses when it comes to comfort and relevance within the cabin.

The infotainment system is highly customisable. It lets you change the character of the engine dynamics wherein you can choose from 3 dynamic powertrain modes - Comfort, Bentley and sport. Apart from customising the drivetrain modes, you can set the cars mood lighting to your preference and even adjust the brightness of the blind spot monitoring system. B

Cargo Capacity

It comes as a shock to see that the longest and the widest car in the segment has one of the smallest boot spaces. With 15.6 cubic feet in the rear, the Bentley Mulsanne hasn\u2019t really impressed us whereas, the Rolls Royce Ghost gets a whooping 17.3 cubic feet in the cargo.

Model	Bentley Mulsanne	Mercedes Benz Maybach S650	Rolls-Royce Ghost II
Cargo Volume (ft.3)	15.6	12.3	17.3

Huge, hugely comfortable and hugely luxurious - topgear.com

The Bentley Mulsanne is the longest and widest car in its segment. Even though the front fascia is much more aggressive, the car\u2019s chassis is still not as appealing and exciting as its rivals in this segment. The front and rear headlights with the unique daytime running lights look aesthetically beautiful.

The 2018 Bentley Mulsanne does not have any exterior changes from its previous version.

Dimension and Weight

Model	Bentley Mulsanne	Mercedes Benz Maybach S650	Rolls-Royce Ghost II
Curb weight (lbs.)	5919	5296	5490
Length(in)	219.5	214.7	212.6
Width(in)	75.8	75.0	76.7
Height(in)	59.9	58.7	61.0
Ground clearance (in)	5.5	5.2	5.9
Wheelbase (in)	128.6	132.6	129.7
Track width (in) F/R	63.2/65.0	64.3/64.2	63.9/65.4

Exterior Features

• Wide and aggressive front grille
• Plethora of colors and shades to choose from
• Soft close doors
• New fenders featuring "B" motif vents
• Wide oval polished stainless steel exhaust tailpipes

The Bentley Mulsanne has exquisite legroom in the rear. The longest in its class and its segment. Not only this, the front seats move as far forward making the rear cabin spacious enough for a six foot plus to sleep comfortably.

The 2017 Bentley comes with front and rear facing cameras as a standard safety feature, while other features include:

• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Stability And Traction Control
• Blind Spot Warning Indicator
• Multi-angle cameras
• Front And Rear Parking Sensors

Mercedes Benz Maybach S650

With a significant difference in price, the Mercedes Maybach S650 riffs out massive 621 horses which is considerably higher than the Bentley Mulsanne, but just edges below it when it comes to the luxury and the opulence of the interiors. If performance is something that you prioritise over bespoke interiors, go for the Maybach S650 blindly. But if cruising along the streets in high speeds in ultra premium luxury is your criterion, The Bentley Mulsanne will leave you spellbound.

Rolls Royce Ghost

The apex of luxury in the car industry. The beast from the legendary Rolls Royce lives up to its name and shows its class and beauty in every aspect. A little higher on the price point, the Rolls Royce Ghost still performs at par with the Bentley Mulsanne. If price is your concern, we'd suggest going for the Mulsanne and if money is something that is in abundance with you, we wouldn't ask you to even think twice to go for the Ghost.

Well, for us - The Bentley Mulsanne hasn't really left a lot of room for criticism. It has been spectacular in all aspects, whether it comes to speed or comfort. The Bentley Mulsanne will leave your jaw dropped all the time. But, given its price point and the features it offers at this competition, Is it really worth it to buy a Mulsanne when there are a hell lot of cheaper giants in the market with the same aspects. Well, taking the Maybach S650 as a serious consideration for such a low price point, Bentley really has to have a lot to offer from its brand value than just the features and specifications.