Imagine newlyweds as they bid hurried farewells and move toward a soft-idling car. As the door closes, the couple experiences tranquility for the first time on a hectic wedding day. Lost in that moment, neither notices that the vehicle is quietly carrying them along the journey they have been waiting their whole lives to start.
Such a moment is what the 2017 Bentley Mulsanne was made for. No vehicle is better suited for escaping everyday life. With double-pane glass windows, automatic shades and plentiful sound-deadening materials, the luxury sedan cocoons riders from the urgency of life.
Bentley freshened its range-topping model inside and out. A new front fascia includes a wider grille with vertical slotted bars over mesh chrome, a re-sculpted hood and new LED headlamps. B-design taillights pierce the night and crown a pair of signature oval exhaust pipes.
Inside, leather, burl wood and metal furnish every surface in unrivaled motoring elegance. The plush seats are of a new design and include heating, cooling, massaging and reclining functions. Updated 10.2-inch tablets emerge from the forward seatbacks for rear passenger entertainment. Bluetooth headphones pair with the removable displays, allowing occupants to enjoy built-in apps via onboard Wi-Fi. Add-ons include porcelain exterior paint, 21-inch polished alloy wheels, lambs wool rugs, a refrigerated bottle cooler and 19-speaker Naim sound system.
Front-passenger convenience features have been improved as well. The center-mounted infotainment touch screen is larger, boasts better graphics, and incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. A solid wood panel houses analog gauges, digital driver display, a Breitling clock and fuel monitor. While the 8-inch display can direct every vehicle function, the center stack clusters climate control, multimedia and vehicle settings for those who prefer tangible inputs.
Priced from $340,670, the Mulsanne is a luxury delight best experienced from the rear compartment, but drivers have their own indulgence thanks to Bentley’s tremendous 6.75-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine. Connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission, the motor delivers 505 horsepower and 752 pound-feet of torque – sufficient thrust to achieve a 184-mph top speed. Motivating 3 tons is no easy endeavor, yet the Mulsanne’s powertrain fits the task.
Fluid power delivery is matched by sharp, hydraulically assisted steering for nimble driving dynamics. Peering down the Mulsanne’s extensive nose, it’s surprising the vehicle behaves so majestically around corners, and that it’s so painless to navigate a parking lot. Whatever the vehicular acrobatics, passengers are cradled from origin to destination in private splendor.
