THE HIGHLIGHTS
• Low mileage
• Full service history
• Main dealer maintained
• 6.8 litre
THE BACKGROUND
Named after Bentley’s motorsport history, some of which included five victories at the 24-hours of Le Mans between 1924 - 1930, the Mulsanne straight was where the Bentley’s stretched their legs to the maximum, and this was the inspiration for the name of this model, the Mulsanne.
The model was launched in 1980 with a 6.75 (six and three-quarter) litre V8, which was also shared with the Rolls-Royce. Introduced to the lineup in 1982 was the Mulsanne Turbo, which offered a 50% power increase. Both cars were originally fueled by twin SU carburettors. In 1986 Bosch fuel injection was introduced.
The Turbo became the Turbo R, and in 1987 the Mulsanne became this model we have here, the Mulsanne S. The S lacked the turbocharger but shared many of the Turbo R features, such as the wheels and the stiffer suspension. From 1989, Bentley replaced the rectangular headlights for the quad round units.
THE HISTORY
The seller of this lovely Bentley has owned the car for just a few short months. It was purchased because owning a Bentley Mulsanne S with such few miles was too good an opportunity to miss.
The Bentley comes with an excellent service record which is complete, and the last repair bill just a few months ago was in excess of £6,000.
With the Bentley itch taken care of, the seller has now decided he doesn’t really have room to store the large car, and so a reduction in his collection is why he is parting company with the Bentley.
THE PAPERWORK
The V5 is present and shows there have been 8 previous keepers.
There is the owner’s handbook, wallet and the all important service book which shows the Bentley has been serviced regularly. The last service was on 8th April 2021 at 49,960 miles, just 382 miles ago.
There are plenty of receipts to sift through dating back quite a number of years, and some of which are for a substantial amount of money, including one in 2017 that came in at £6,166. This was at 48,664 miles, so not many miles ago.
There are also the old MOT certificates which date back to the mid 1990’s. There is a current MOT on the Mulsanne valid until 12th August 2022.
THE INTERIOR
The inside of the Bentley is a lovely place to be with the soft leather armchair like seats, which are in excellent condition thanks to the seller recently having had them re-coloured to enhance their appearance. This has worked very well and has transformed the cream and grey interior to an excellent finish.
The dashboard shows no real signs of age or any excessive wear, with no cracks to the top and the wood fascia is in excellent condition. The instruments are all reported to be working correctly, with the odometer showing a reading of 50,342 miles.
All the switchgear is reported to be working as it should, apart from the cigar lighter which appears to have a bad connection. The electric windows are operational, but the driver’s rear sometimes pops out of the guide, so this may need some slight adjustment. The driver’s side is working fine, the passenger side is a little slow and the passenger rear is also working correctly.
The door cards are all in excellent condition. They are the original colour and haven’t been re-coloured like the seats, and the wooden tops have been sanded back, then re-lacquered making them now look like new.
The Grey carpet is in excellent condition to the front and rear of the Bentley, and there are some mats fitted to protect it even further. The headlining is also in excellent condition with no noticeable marks or sagging to be seen.
Inside the boot, this is nice and clean. The jack and wheel brace are present, plus some tools tucked away in the storage area at the top of the boot.
THE EXTERIOR
With just 50,342 miles, this Bentley has led a quiet life. It has had some paintwork in the past to freshen it up, using the original colour of Dark Oyster. Taking a look around the car there are no obvious signs of corrosion, especially on the common areas such as the rear arches, which also feel good on the inside edges
To the front of the Mulsanne S, there are just a few age-related chips but definitely less than you would expect. The chrome grill is in excellent condition with no sign of any pitting, and the flying B sits pride of place where it belongs. The headlights are in good condition with no signs of any chips or cracks, and the same can be said for the indicators. Finishing the front, the chrome work to the bumper is like the grille, with a nice bright finish.
Moving around the flanks of the Bentley, you can see immediately that the Mulsanne is nice and straight with all the doors aligning as they should, and no noticeable dinks or dents which we could see. The windows look to be free from any scratches and the chrome surrounds are all in very nice condition. The door handles have retained a nice bright finish to them. You can see some very slight marks under the paint just around the door handles, but this is something that you have to look for.
Around to the rear, and like the rest of the car, this is very clean. The rear lenses have no cracks and the boot handle has a bright finish. The Bentley badges are in excellent condition with no tarnishing or pitting.
The Bentley wheels are excellent with no corrosion to be seen to the faces. All the centre caps are present and the tyres all have a good amount of tread remaining ready for the new keeper.
THE MECHANICS
The 6.8 L V8 is what pulls this weighty Mulsanne S out of the starting blocks at a pace of 0-60mph in 10.4 seconds. With a flick of the key, the V8 fires into life, coming to a smooth idle with no unwanted noises creeping in.
The silky smooth automatic gearbox is reported to glide through the gears with no hesitation, and the car pulls strongly through the rev range.
Riding along in the Bentley is like floating on a cloud. So smooth, the car soaks up the road which makes for an extremely comfortable ride, and there ano no untoward noises reported to come from the suspension or transmission.
THE APPEAL
Built for true ladies or gentlemen, the Mulsanne S offers performance and luxury in one of the highest forms of automotive craftsmanship, by one of the most prestigious manufacturers, Bentley.
Definitely becoming a much sought after car, especially one with such low miles, and with such an extensive history. Time to treat yourself to a spot of luxury?
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
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