Highlights
- Genuine low mileage example
- Complete service history from new, and with the actual invoices whilst in the present owners car going back 6 years.
- Near pristine history with all the previous MOT certificates on file.
- Stunningly maintained and cared for
The Appeal
The 2011 Mulsanne marks a return to classic Bentley, with its archetypical and powerful 6.75-litre V8 engine that has been prevalent through the history books, as well as its corner-friendly rear-drive layout. With the Mulsanne, the car is as much of a celebration of liberation from Rolls-Royce as it is a vehicle, spending over two thirds of its 91 years run by the British-born marque.
A car that started at well over £200,000 back in 2011, and that's without all the trimmings that connotes and elite lifestyle. It’s an eye watering figure for many, but for engineering and beauty such as this, it is but a drop in the ocean to few. To put it into perspective - roughly 30% of Mulsanne owners also own a Yacht - so of course the Mulsanne is the Bentley of choice, as it remains the most exclusive among the marque with no more than 800 built annually and taking 9 weeks to build from start to finish.
The likes of the Mulsanne will never be repeated. On a factory tour it was made quite plain that whilst the GT range and the Flying Spur, were the mainstay of the business the Mulsanne was in a complete league of its own, with its own designated mulliner production facility. With so much of the car being bespoke it is unlikely that there have ever been two of the cars that are identical.
When the Mulsanne and the Flying Spur were in production together the price premium of the Mulsanne would have bought you a small apartment. A point of difference is that where the Mulsanne’s veneers are laid on solid Mahogany the GT and Spur range use “cost-effective” aluminium.
The likes of the Mulsanne will never be repeated. On a factory tour it was made quite plain that whilst the GT range and the Flying Spur, were the mainstay of the business the Mulsanne was in a complete league of its own, with its own designated mulliner production facility. With so much of the car being bespoke it is unlikely that there have ever been two of the cars that are identical.
When the Mulsanne and the Flying Spur were in production together the price premium of the Mulsanne would have bought you a small apartment. A point of difference is that where the Mulsanne’s veneers are laid on solid Mahogany the GT and Spur range use “cost-effective” aluminium.
Truly, the epitome of luxury when considering the time taken to carefully craft this masterpiece - 170 hours alone are dedicated to the interior with 15 of those just to hand stitch the leather steering wheel, and 10 hours to polish each stainless steel vent to absolute perfection.
The History and Paperwork
- Originally registered on the 30th of September 2011
- Original leather booklets present with the vehicle
- Original owners handbook present in great condition
- Bentley quick reference guide, service handbook, and assistant service books present
- V5C present and in the current owners possession
- Originally purchased in Glasgow from Bentley Glasgow on Bothwell Road
- Mulsanne Launch specification
- In the current owners custodianship since 14-03-2017
- Five previous owners from new, all of which maintained the car wonderfully
- Service book stamped all from either main dealers or specialist workshops at the correct intervals or sooner
- Service certificates from Herne Motors Canterbury
- Great MOT history with no failures
- Thatcham alarm fitted (£399) will require a subscription to function
- Complete factory set of keys, including spare
- Factory battery conditioner is present
The Interior
- Linen coloured leather upholstery
- Drilled alloy foot pedals
- Emblem stitching
- Dark mahogany trim
- Rear companion mirrors
- Chrome polished air vents
- Rear window blinds
- Rear folding tables
- Mobile in rear storage compartment
- Rear air conditioning controls as well as electronic seating controls
There’s something about light coloured interiors in dark cars that make the sophisticated side of us swoon and stumble over the thought of such luxury and opulence. Especially when it’s placed in a Mulsanne. This Launch specification Mulsanne is beautifully specified with Linen leather upholstery, dark blue carpets to match the exterior “Dark Sapphire” paintwork and accompanying leather covering the top of the dashboard.
Upon opening the door and stepping into the luxurious airspace that is the Bentley, the sense of refinement tingles all of your senses. Supple leather everywhere you look with some of the finest wooden finishes money can buy, and not to mention all of the hand polished chrome to add that finishing touch. The drivers seat has been excellently cared for with no apparent cracks or scratches, and it retains its colour perfectly throughout. The steering wheel is much the same, no unwelcome tears or imperfections in the leather can be spotted, and all of the functional buttons and dials surrounding remain in working order, with the Bentley badge sitting proudly upon the flawless airbag cover.
Looking up slightly to the dashboard, no unwanted warning signs are present - and even if there were it's not to say you’d even pay attention to them given all of the wooden trim and polished metal surrounding - it really is a pleasant thing to look at. Moving across the dash, all of the veneer is beautifully kept with no delamination visible, and all of the polished metal remains bright and vibrant as ever. All of the centre console controls function as they should, and the arm rests are kept in impeccable condition.
Moving into the rear of the Mulsanne, this is where the luxury really starts - seemingly endless legroom, fold down tables mounted to the rear of the front seats, climate controls and electric seating controls at your fingertips and privacy blinds at the touch of a button. Sitting back here really does feel like you’re being chauffeured around… Although, if you’re occupying the rear of a Mulsanne, you more than likely are.
Overall, the interior of this example is absolutely fantastic, no unwelcome surprises here, just pure opulence that has been preserved through careful ownership.
The Exterior
- All original bodywork
- Dark Sapphire paintwork
- Upgraded OE speed wheels
- All brightwork in impeccable condition
- Garage stored example with no visible signs of bodywork damage
- Flying B logo sitting proudly atop the grill
- Some tyres showing signs of ageing with light cracks on the outer edges
- Bentley car cover for storage
The absolute image of perfection, the Mulsanne in all its years of production has remained among the best and most striking to look at - especially when they’re as well cared for as this example we have here. Brightwork remains in fantastic condition, the bodywork remains original and all of the curves as voluptuous as ever.
Starting at the front of this Bentley, we’re welcomed with that all-famous wide front grill that stands tall, proudly wearing the Flying B on top stating its presence. All of the brightwork and metalwork here remains to be in fabulous shape, the only thing to pick at is the odd stone chip on the paintwork however this is to be entirely expected and would be foolish to grovel over. Headlights remain clear and free of damage or water ingress, and the panel gaps all appear to be of factory fitment.
Moving around to the side of this 5.5m yacht, the gorgeous body lines come into view. Again, the paintwork here appears to be extremely well kept with seemingly no scratches, dents or nicks to pick at, and all of the panel gaps are in order which is nice to see. Brightwork has been well maintained and the stunning Bentley Speed wheels all look to be flawless with no curb markings, scratches or damage that we can see. Some of the tyres which these wheels are shod in appear to be showing some cracks most likely from age, however this is an easy thing to overlook when you soak in the overall condition.
Around to the rear, much of the story remains the same. Paintwork remains in lovely order with no damage visible, brightwork well polished and the light lenses remain free from any unwelcome damage or fading.
Overall, this is one excellently kept super saloon that would be fit for anyone's collection!
The Mechanics
- Petrol powered 6.75-Litre V8 Twin Turbo engine
- Eight-speed automatic transmission
- Rear-wheel drive configuration
- Rack and pinion steering input
- 505BHP at 4200rpm, and 752lb-ft of torque at 1750rpm
- Steel monocoque body design with superformed aluminium closures
- 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds
- Adaptive cruise control
Despite what the uneducated might tell you, the Mulsanne is as athletic as it is luxurious. The 6.75-litre, twin turbocharged V8 engine propels this 5,700 pound behemoth to 60mph in a staggering 5.1 seconds and will continue to power along all the way until 187mph. By any standard, that is certainly no slouch! And going by many journalists' words, it’s surprisingly quite the driver's car, too. Coach-built with techniques which were pioneered in the aviation industry, the steel monocoque design has proven itself with excellent performance in the twisties, with no discernable body roll in tight corners at high speed - unwavering in its grip.
This particular example has been extremely well cared for with a service history that has never missed a beat:
PDI - 28 miles (26/09/2011)
Service - 839 miles (04/11/2011)
Service - 8,542 miles (15/10/2012)
Service - 14,202 miles (15/10/2013)
Service - 18,660 miles (01/10/2014)
Service - 21,963 miles (09/09/2015)
Service - 26,224 miles (14/09/2016)
Service - 30,297 miles (18/09/2017)
Service - 32,657 miles (02/09/2018)
Service - 33,812 miles (04/09/2019)
Service - 35,874 miles (07/10/2020)
Service - 37,134 miles (23/11/2021)
Service - 38,216 miles (17/04/2023)
Truly well cared for with a no expense spared attitude, as can also be backed up by the clean slate of MOT passes with no failures too. It is a breath of fresh air to see vehicles admired to this extent, especially one as lovely and as capable as a Mulsanne.
Solid, agile, powerful, quiet… Not words you often see strung together, and more often than not you really can’t have one without impacting the other, however Bentley have done a masterful job of refining this machine to be one rather capable of holding its own in all aspects of the above.
Peak torque is found rather low in the RPM range, so it doesn’t take much to turn slack-jawed admirers into diminishing images in the rear view mirror. This does however require the driver to have some self restraint, as it’s rather easy to reach speeds which may prompt more ominous images in its mirrors.
Peak torque is found rather low in the RPM range, so it doesn’t take much to turn slack-jawed admirers into diminishing images in the rear view mirror. This does however require the driver to have some self restraint, as it’s rather easy to reach speeds which may prompt more ominous images in its mirrors.
Summary
This would make a stunning addition to any gentlemens (or womans) collection, not only do these models exude class and luxury but also performance on a similar level. The current owner has loved and cared for the car since 2017, however now feels the requirement to thin down his collection for retirement.
There is no doubt that the next owner of this cherished Bentley will adore it just as much as its previous custodians. The mighty Mulsanne, never to be repeated.
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