In a recent announcement Bentley has stated that they will be kissing goodbye to the Mulsanne and its legendary six and three quarter litre V8, the longest V8 ever in continuous production. Bentley’s farewell kiss you may ask? The Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner, which will be limited to just thirty examples.
After 60 years in production the awe inspiring 6¾-litre engine will no longer grace the production lines at Crewe. Bentley’s 6.75 litre V8 debuted under the bonnet of the 1959 Bentley S2, and although that masterpiece has been tweaked here and there it largely remains almost identical to the original. In what appears to be an effort to lower emissions, Bentley will be replacing the Mulsanne with the Flying Spur and offer hybrid options for all models by 2023. As of yet the Bentayga is the only Bentley available with a hybrid power-train.
“The Mulsanne has played a pivotal role in maintaining Bentley’s position as global leader of the luxury limousine segment. The flagship of our model range, its longevity is a testament to our ongoing commitment to hand-building the finest motor cars in the world. The new Mulsanne 6.75 Edition is the culmination of that achievement. While production of the Mulsanne will end in Spring 2020, this decision has been taken at a time when we are experiencing significant customer demand across our other existing model lines. As such, we will be redeploying all of our manufacturing colleagues who currently work on the Mulsanne to other areas of the business,” stated Chris Craft, Member of the Board, Sales, Marketing and After-sales at Bentley Motors
The Final Edition will feature blacked out bright work in a gloss finish aside from the lights, which will maintain their chrome finish to highlight the customer’s choice of paint color. A tinted hood ornament, 21 inch rims, and Mulliner Serenity radiator grille and exhaust finishers complete the vehicle’s exterior key design elements. The intake manifold will be finished in black instead of typical silver and the engine number plate will be signed by Bentley’s Chairman and CEO, Adrian Hallmark rather than the craftsman that built the car’s engine.
Based on the 530 bhp, 1100 Nm Mulsanne Speed the most driver focused Mulsanne ever created, the Final edition is sure to raise some eyebrows with its tasteful yet sporty design elements, which include the classic ‘organ stop’ ventilation pulls replaced by designs capped by miniature versions of the engine oil cap and a 6.75 Edition motif is stitched into the seats.
As far as interior customization goes, the Final edition will offer four single tone leather color choices: Imperial Blue, Beluga, Fireglow and Newmarket Tan. A stunning bespoke color split spreads a silver accent throughout the cabin. The silver spreads across the seat pipping and center console in leather as well as a silver-painted veneer with a unique metal commemorative plaque fitted to the front console.
The iconic Bentley Mulsanne originally hit the road in 1980 and truth be told we are incredibly disappointed to see this handmade masterpiece exit production.
Images courtesy of Bentley Motors
