The first Bentley Mulsanne was produced by Bentley Motors in 1980, with production continuing until 1992.
In 2012, the Mulsanne name was revived with a redesigned model, making the name over 35 years old.
With the first Mulsanne due in the region soon, Bentley Motors shares 10 quirky facts about its newest range.
1. The name “Mulsanne” is derived from Bentley’s famous racing history, which included five victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1924 and 1930 — the ‘Mulsanne Straight’ being the stretch of the Le Mans race course where cars reach their highest speeds.
2. In 2014, Bentley created 15 limited edition Mulsanne models, for the Middle East, called the ‘Mulsanne Majestic’. Five models were created specifically for the UAE, five for KSA and five for Qatar.
3. Bentley also produced a special edition Mulsanne designed for the Middle East market in 2013. It was named the Mulsanne Shaheen, inspired by the Shaheen eagle, a bird of prey found in the Middle Eastern region.
4. Mulsanne is also the name of part of the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire in north western France, which is home to the Le Mans circuit, where the 24 hour endurance race is held.
5. It takes nine weeks to build a Mulsanne, with the engine alone taking up to 30 hours to assemble. The interior takes 170 hours to create, and the body-shell takes over 125 hours. As for the steering wheel, one takes up to 15 hour to make.
6. In 2012, to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday and Diamond Jubilee, Bentley built 60 units of a special edition Mulsanne. The limited edition model included bespoke embroidery and gold stitching, veneered picnic tables decorated with gold overlay depicting a royal carriage, hide cushions featuring the same motif and polished stainless steel treadplate plaques with ‘Bentley Mulliner, England’ and ‘Diamond Jubilee Edition’ script.
7. The front fenders are created using a process called “superforming”. This technique is also used in aerospace manufacturing.
8. Bentley customers also have extra options to personalise their car, including 23 individual seatbelt colours to choose from. Customers can also have custom stitched emblems on the headrests.
9. The Mulsanne is encased with a ring of wood that goes around the whole of the cabin, forming one unbroken piece of wood that is unbleached for a natural appearance.
10. In 2012 Wing Commander Andy Green, the world land speed record holder for the past 15 years, took the Mulsanne to speeds of up to 305km/h on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA.
Follow us on
