Bentley Mulsanne Speed
The Bentley Mulsanne Speed was arguably the finest handcrafted luxury sedan money could buy, and certainly the fastest. Named after the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans — where Bentley achieved its greatest racing triumphs — the Mulsanne Speed packed a 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing 530 horsepower and a staggering 1,100 Nm of torque. This legendary pushrod V8, descended from an engine that first appeared in 1959, could propel this 2.7-tonne palace on wheels to 190 mph. Every Mulsanne took approximately 400 hours to build by hand at Bentley's Crewe factory, where craftsmen applied techniques passed down through generations. The interior featured hand-stitched leather, real wood veneer selected from sustainably managed forests, and chrome-plated organ stop controls for the ventilation — details that no other manufacturer could match. The Speed variant added a sportier character with darker chrome accents, knurled gear shifter, and a recalibrated suspension that somehow maintained the legendary Bentley ride quality while adding genuine driver engagement. The Mulsanne was discontinued in 2020, replaced by the Flying Spur, marking the end of Bentley's traditional hand-built flagship.
Despite handcrafted quality, these are complex luxury cars with expensive maintenance. The V8 engine is generally reliable but servicing costs are substantial. Air suspension components can be expensive to replace. Electronics and infotainment systems can develop issues. Verify full Bentley service history. Consider a Bentley-approved pre-owned warranty.
The 6.75-liter V8 traced its lineage back to the engine introduced in the 1959 Bentley S2. Each engine was hand-assembled by a single technician who signed a plaque on completion. The Mulsanne was the last Bentley to use this historic engine. Production ended in 2020 with a special '6.75 Edition' run of 30 cars.