The Bentley Mulsanne Speed Is A Monster Limousine With 530bhp And 811lb ft

With 505bhp and 752lb ft of torque on tap, the standard Bentley Mulsanne isn’t exactly lacking on the power front. However, if you don’t think that’s enough poke for this motoring equivalent of an English country mansion, give the Mulsanne Speed a look. The 6.75-litre V8 which Bentley has been using for years has received a little fettle in this new range-topper, to give an unholy output of 530bhp and 811lb ft.

However, this being a 5.5 metre long car stuffed full of luxuries like electric folding tables, a glass bottle cooler and all the usual lashings of leather and other expensive materials, it is quite heavy. Almost 2.7 tonnes, in fact. That means it’s not quite as quick as other cars with such a big chunk of power and torque, but with a 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds, it’s impressively brisk. Oh, and it’ll do 190mph.

The twin-turbo V8 is 13 per cent more efficient than before, too, thanks in part to a cylinder de-activation system that turns the unit into a V4 when the driver’s right foot is feeling less heavy.

Exterior changes are tastefully minimal, other than a darker tint applied to the front grille and a few other parts, plus a natty new pair of tailpipes, there isn’t a whole lot to tell this apart from the standard Mulsanne.

The Speed will make its public debut at the upcoming Paris motor show, and will go on sale this winter with prices starting at £252,000.