1990 Bentley Mulsanne

Bentley Mulsanne and Mulsanne S (Saloon), 1980-1992

The Bentley Mulsanne and Mulsanne S was in production from 1980-1992. Styled in house by Fritz Feller, it is a front-engine, rear wheel drive four door saloon range seating four adults.

The Mulsanne was Bentley's replacement for the T2 - like its predecessor, it was based upon the equivalent entry level Rolls-Royce saloon and in this case, that car was the Silver Spirit. Unlike its predecessor, only one panel was to be changed for the Bentley variant - the front bumper, which was reshaped to allow for the marque's deeper grille design. Barring that, the marque identity was developed solely through badging - with Bentley emblems on the bootlid, hubcaps and dashboard. The Mulsanne retailed for exactly the same price as a Silver Spirit, appealing to those who wanted a very slightly more discreet package. Bentleys appealed to old money while the image of Rolls-Royce had been tarnished by comedians and entrepreneurs. From 1987 some of the chassis upgrades fitted to the Turbo R made their way onto the standard naturally aspirated car to create the Mulsanne S - firmer suspension and alloy wheels chief among them, though from September 1988 the oblong headlamps gave way to the now ubiquitous twin round units. Both the original Mulsanne and the S were available with the LWB body seen on the Rolls-Royce Silver Spur. Production of the Mulsanne S would cease in 1992 along with the entry level Bentley Eight, both models to be replaced by the new light-pressure turbo Bentley Brooklands model.

The most obvious competitor for the Bentley Mulsanne and Mulsanne S is the subsequent Brooklands model, though those looking at early carburettor cars might also find the Bentley T2 a viable alternative. If you want the same experience but with a different image, the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit and Silver Spur offer a near identical model family. The Mulsanne Turbo offers far higher performance from a car with similar equipment - while if you don't want a Rolls-Royce of Bentley, we would recommend the Jaguar XJ12 as the best four door British supersaloon you can choose. If you want something a little more hand made, the Bristol 603 makes an interesting choice if you can live with a two door vehicle.