In an unusual move at the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance this afternoon, Bentley Motors unveiled its Mulsanne, the nameplate’s all-new flagship grand tourer.
Unusual for a few reasons; one being the economy, but we posit that Bentley thinks a top-of-the-range, hand-built, English-made and, may we say, quite beautiful, super sedan will sell like Pimm’s Cups at the Claridge’s Bar on a balmy August evening.
It’s also unusual for a new car to be shown on the main stage, which is usually reserved for the Concours D’Elegance winner. But with a car this gorgeous, we’re not complaining.
The new Mulsanne was inspired by its precursor, company founder W.O. Bentley’s stunning 1930 Bentley 8-litre model. An elegant and massive Bentley if there ever was one, the 8-liter was the sedan for the Masters of the Universe of the Depression era and we can see those who still have their druthers driving the new Mulsanne down Wilshire Boulevard.
The Mulsanne is all-new from the ground up and was conceived, styled and engineered at Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe, England. Bentley says, “The return of the Mulsanne name to a car carrying Bentley’s iconic ‘Winged B’ emblem underlines the company’s racing pedigree and nowhere reflects that heritage better than the famed Le Mans circuit…Few places offer a stronger or more emotive connection with the Bentley marque than the famed Mulsanne corner.”
The Bentley Mulsanne will go on sale in mid-2010. It will also be displayed at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show.
source: latimes blog
