Bentley Mulsanne

This article covers the sedan manufactured from 1980 to 1992. For the vehicle built from 2009 see Bentley Mulsanne (2009) .

Bentley
Bentley Mulsanne (1985)
Mulsanne
Production period:	1980-1992
Class :	Upper class
Body versions :	limousine
Engines:	Petrol engines : 6.75 liters (147–180 kW)
Length:	5270-5370 mm
Width:	1885 mm
Height:	1480 mm
Wheelbase :	3060-3160 mm
Empty weight :	2245-2470 kg
Previous model	Bentley T II
successor	Bentley Brooklands

The Bentley Mulsanne is a luxury sedan built from 1980 to 1992 by the British manufacturer Bentley , of which various derivatives have been offered over the years. It was the successor to the Bentley T and sister model of the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit . The Mulsanne was replaced by the Bentley Brooklands in 1992 . From 1982 the Mulsanne was optionally available in a turbo version, which from 1985 bore the name Bentley Turbo R and later the name Turbo RT . In addition, the slightly cheaper Bentley Eight was built from 1984 to 1992.

As with the Bentley Arnage , the name Mulsanne goes back to a curve on the Le Mans race track named after a neighboring town , where Bentley won the Le Mans 24-hour race five times in the 1920s . Since 2009, Bentley has again offered a new sedan called Mulsanne . Technically, it has nothing to do with the model produced from 1980.

Models

Mulsanne (1980-1987)

Bentley Mulsanne Turbo

The one presented at the Paris Salon in 1980 was the first new Bentley since 1965. At first, apart from the brand-typical radiator grille and the emblems with the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit presented at the same time, it was completely identical. From model year 1985, the Mulsanne and the Silver Spirit also differed in the design of the headlights: While the Silver Spirit retained the broadband headlights, the Mulsanne got four round headlights.

The Mulsanne was powered by the 6.75-liter light-alloy V8 already known from its predecessor, which was initially equipped with two SU carburettors and then, from 1986, with Bosch injection. As with the previous models, the factory did not name any performance values. The power transmission to the rear wheels was done by a three-speed automatic transmission purchased from General Motors . In addition to the normal version with a wheelbase of 3060 mm, a long version was offered with a wheelbase of 3160 mm.

Mulsanne S (1987-1992)

In 1987, the basic Mulsanne was replaced by the Mulsanne S, which retained the naturally aspirated engine, but looked very much like the turbo version and, for example, had its light alloy rims and interior fittings. The S was also available with a short or long wheelbase. There were 909 copies on the regular and 61 on the longer wheelbase.

Eight (1984-1992)

Bentley Eight

In 1984 the Bentley Eight was introduced, a cheaper and more simply equipped version of the Mulsanne, which should attract new groups of buyers to the brand. The aim was to address buyers who had previously preferred Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar vehicles. In view of this, the Eight was offered significantly cheaper than the regular Mulsanne. When it was launched in 1984, the Eight was around £ 5,000 less than the original at £ 49,497. The Eight was thus in a price range that a very well-equipped Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan could achieve.

The Eight was only available with a short wheelbase. Outwardly it was recognizable by a separate radiator grille. In contrast to the Mulsanne, whose radiator grille included vertical struts, the Eight carried a wire mesh grille that was supposed to be reminiscent of the sporty Bentley models of the prewar period and was significantly cheaper to manufacture. The price advantage of the Eight was due to a significantly simplified interior. So the dashboard was designed more simply. Special grains, which Rolls-Royce usually attached importance to in the standard models, have been dispensed with, as has a headlining lined with leather. The number of paint finishes possible as standard had also been reduced.

The Eight was initially only sold in the UK; from 1985 he was also available to customers on the European continent and in the USA. In Germany it cost 186,846 DM when it was launched. This made it 66,000 DM cheaper than a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit. From 1986 the automobile was equipped with an anti-lock braking system for the European and Middle Eastern markets .

The Bentley Eight had been built a total of 1,736 times by 1992.

Models with turbo engines

In addition to the naturally aspirated vehicles, Bentley offered a range of sporty versions from 1982 onwards, which were equipped with a turbocharged version of the 6.8 liter engine. These vehicles were conceptually a response to the Bristol Beaufighter , which had been produced by Bristol Cars since 1980 and, with its unusual Zagato body as a high-performance two-door model for sporty self-drivers, had caused quite a stir, especially in the domestic market. Rolls-Royce initially considered equipping the two-door Camargue Coupé designed by Pininfarina with a turbo engine and offering it in this niche under Bentley. In 1980 a suitably equipped prototype was manufactured and tested; the concept was not pursued any further, allegedly because of thermal problems. Instead, the turbo engine was offered in the new Mulsanne, which had been designed from the outset for higher performance. The following statements were made in detail:

Bentley Mulsanne Turbo (1982–1985)

At the Geneva Motor Show in February 1982, Bentley presented the Mulsanne Turbo, which was produced until 1985, with a significantly higher output ("50 percent more than sufficient"). Here, the engine was forced ventilation via a Garrett turbocharger. Given numerous modifications, the Mulsanne Turbo was about 100 kg heavier than the base sedan. The increase in performance therefore had less of an effect on top speed than on acceleration: the Mulsanne Turbo completed the sprint from 0 to 60 miles per hour (96 km / h) in 7.0 seconds, while the uncharged Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit needed 10.0 seconds for this.

Of the Mulsanne Turbo, 498 copies were made on the regular and 18 on the longer wheelbase.

Bentley Turbo R (1985-1998)

→ Main article : Bentley Turbo R

The Turbo R was the successor to the Turbo. He had a modified chassis and increased performance.

Bentley Turbo RT (1997/98)

→ Main article : Bentley Turbo RT

The Turbo RT was a special model with an even more powerful engine.

Special bodies

The London car body manufacturer Hooper Coachbuilders produced some special versions based on the Mulsanne in the 1980s. This included the Empress II, a two-door vehicle with an inclined front section and a semi-hatchback, which was offered at four times the price of a factory Mulsanne and was realized in around six copies. Two-door versions of the Bentley Mulsanne were later also offered, in which the factory body structure - apart from the doors - was unchanged.

A copy of the Bentley Mulliner Park Ward was built by Mulliner Park Ward in 1999 . This is the counterpart of the Rolls-Royce Touring sedan .

Quantities

model	construction time	Total number of pieces	Short wheelbase	Wide wheelbase	Long limousine
Mulsanne	1980-1987	533	482	49	2
Mulsanne Turbo	1982-1985	516	498	18th
Mulsanne S.	1987-1992	970	909	61
Eight	1984-1992	1736	1736
Brooklands	1992-1998	nb	nb	nb
Turbo R	1985-1995	5864	4653	1211
New Turbo R	1995-1998	1366	543	823
Turbo RT	1997-1998	50		50

literature

• Jonathan Wood: Rolls-Royce & Bentley. The story of a legendary brand . 1st edition 2003 Königswinter (Heel Verlag GmbH) ISBN 3-89880-106-3 .
• Automobil Revue , various catalog numbers (dates and prices).
• Clauspeter Becker: Grid Sport . Test Bentley Eight. In: Auto Motor und Sport, issue 16/1985, p. 28 ff.
• House of Lords . Driving report and purchase advice for the Rolls-Royce Camargue (with reference to the development history of the turbo) in: Motor Klassik , issue 11/1997, p. 60 ff.
• Bentley Mulsanne Turbo. What an irresistible force . Test of the magazine autocar, issue of October 23, 1982, p. 32 ff.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Information about the Bentley Eight on the website www.rrab.com (English), accessed on September 12, 2019
2. ^ Auto catalog, issue no.29 (1985/86).
3. ↑ K.-J. Roßfeldt: Bentley Mulsanne S (1987-1992). In: Roßfeldt Archives. Retrieved November 29, 2013 . 
4. ↑ On the equipment features of the Eight in detail: Auto Motor und Sport, issue 16/1985, p. 28 ff.
5. ^ On the Bentley Eight: Jonathan Wood: Rolls-Royce & Bentley, pp. 139 ff.
6. ↑ To the whole: Motor Klassik 11/1997, p. 62
7. ↑ Test values Autocar , issue of October 23, 1982.
8. ↑ Auto Catalog No. 31 (1987/88), p. 105.
9. ↑ Pictures of two-door Mulsanne models from Hooper on the website www.bentleyspotting.com (accessed July 26, 2011).

Web links

Commons : Bentley Mulsanne  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• First sales brochure of the Bentley Mulsanne (1980/81)
• Bentley Mulsanne (1980-1987)
• Bentley Eight (1984-1992)