AUTOMOTIVE ARISTOCRAT

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/10/2010 (5770 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When I realized I would be trusted to sit behind the wheel of the new Bentley Mulsanne four-door sedan, the thought suddenly occurred to take a quick straw poll in the newsroom.

The esteemed Bentley name, like that of Rolls-Royce, is world-renowned for a tradition of excellence in automobiles that stretches back to 1919. But what did the name conjure up in today’s New Age, and somewhat greener-in-its approach, guilt-laden auto world?

What, I asked both young and old, comes to mind when I say the word Bentley?

One said “Sir Winston Churchill and expensive cigars;” another responded “posh, extravagant, a badge of success,” while someone else blurted out “old money.”

“Butlers,” said another.

I had to admit, some of the same images came to mind for me as well — that of a luxurious, ultra-expensive, dare I say stodgy brand, steeped in tradition and meant only for the well-heeled — those with stratospheric Swiss bank accounts.

Breeding issues aside, I jumped at the chance to test-drive a Bentley — the flagship Mulsanne, no less. Named after Mulsanne corner at the legendary Le Mans 24-hour race, an event where Bentley earned its chops and saw success on six occasions.

Mercifully, on this summer day in August, the countryside south of Calgary was bathed in warm temperatures and a cloudless blue sky. Not quite Tunbridge Wells, but a more than suitable canvas for my Bentley initiation. Not a hailstone in sight, either, I hoped.

At first glance, the Mulsanne is an imposing car. The sensuous design of this gleaming beast elicits a jaw-dropping wow factor. The stance is aggressive, sleek and elegant, the grille unmistakably Bentley. Floating elliptical LED tail lights echo the shape of the exhaust tailpipes, giving the rear end a classy, flowing look.

The fit and finish everywhere, needless to say, is remarkable.

Dressed in an immaculate medium gold which the Crewe, England-based carmaker calls Gazelle, the Mulsanne tester sported the premium package, which included Bentley’s famed flying B hood ornament (a $3,630 option), nudging the MSRP to roughly C$370,000. Bentley offers more than 115 colour choices, by the way, but will custom-match any colour to the customer’s whim.

Open the driver’s door and your eyes are treated to one of the most over-the-top, extravagant interiors ever built into an automobile.

Welcome to Bentley world!

I tried not to like it, I really did, as I slipped onto the exquisite leather seats, finding myself surrounded by premium-quality wood veneers ringing the interior, and a dashboard clearly designed by the gods themselves. Bentley gods, of course.

I forgot to close the door completely, but no worries: The Bentley automatically sensed my error and closed it by itself. It gently clicked into place, as if an invisible butler had done it. A neat feature, I thought.

Once ensconced in the Mulsanne environment — and that’s what it is: an environment that coddles and insulates — one relaxes and becomes entirely comfortable with the mix of old and new: old Bentley design touches, in the air vents, gauges and removable silver ashtrays, along with an overwhelming selection of high-tech features.

Indeed, it would probably take days, if not weeks to learn all the features and what they’re capable of.

Suffice to say the Mulsanne is loaded — enough to make any king or queen feel regal. In fact, the Mulsanne seems to have the power to transform Jethro Bodine into George Hamilton just by placing one’s keister in its confines. Myself included.

Push the start button on the console and the 505-horsepower, 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V-8 begins to sing, barely intruding into the solace of the cabin. An eight-inch Infotainment display smoothly pops out of the veneered dash, offering a 3-D bird’s-eye view on a map of Calgary. A rotary controller offers access to a multitude of system menus, including phone, radio, media, tone, information and car systems. All major systems and operations can also be directed by voice control.

And yes, it’s also fully Bluetooth, iPod and MP3-compatible, sporting a little drawer where one can place and plug in their favourite musical device. The multimedia system boasts a 60 GB hard disc, as well as a state-of-the-art 14-speaker Naim audio system and the world’s most powerful production in-car amplifier at 2,200 watts. Enough to best Carnegie Hall, you might say.

Near the seat-adjustment buttons is yet another button. Push that, and suddenly, it’s as if a pleasant masseuse is gently working out those nasty kinks in your back. Yes, each seat comes with its own internal back massager.

Feeling way too Bentley-fied and generally unworthy, I instinctively shut it off, fearing I’d get too spoiled. Then again, the stress of the newspaper biz being what it is, perhaps I’d just leave that on.

Launching the Mulsanne onto the streets of Calgary was not unlike launching the Queen Mary 2. This is one, big honking sedan — about 5,700 pounds worth, in fact — yet it was nimble as a ballerina. Steering response was, well, impeccable, and ride can only be likened to floating on a cloud.

Put simply, the Mulsanne is a driver’s car, and it’s easy and fun to drive.

Drivers (or their chauffeurs) have four choices when it comes to ride — Sport, Comfort, Bentley (an optimum blend of Sport and Comfort) and also Custom, which allows you to fashion your own setup.

Take a hard corner in Comfort, and you just might experience some sway. Switch it to Sport, and that will tighten things up nicely. This is not a car to push to the limit, à la Top Gear, but instead a rather well-endowed daily driver.

Bumps and potholes on country roads? In Comfort mode, they barely exist. The Mulsanne cruises as if nearly oblivious to road conditions, yet not entirely detached. One still feels the road.

In part, the secret to that Cloud 9 ride is a new air-suspension system with continuous damping control (CDC), which creates a refined and comfy ride at low speeds, yet can reduce the car’s ride height automatically at high speeds to reduce lift and improve aerodynamic stability.

The powerful twin-turbo V-8 is also nicely matched to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission that shifts beautifully, and the power is always there when you need it. Top speed is 184 m.p.h. (296 km/h), but who needs to get there in a hurry? In this car, you want to take your time and enjoy every minute.

Incidentally, that ride is just as regal in the back seat, where passengers have ample legroom, access to remote controls for the multimedia display, and also extensive seat-position controls. Side mirrors are just the right size, and visibility in all quadrants is superb.

So why the steep price tag? Keep in mind every Mulsanne is hand-built using the finest materials to each buyer’s order. Other than a demo, they likely won’t be sitting around in showrooms.

It takes approximately 600 man-hours to build just one, as compared to about 25 to 30 hours to build the average car.

Each steering wheel, for example, can take 15 hours to hand-stitch. A wood veneer takes five weeks to turn from a rough root ball into a full set of mirror-matched, fine-polished leaves. The exquisite interior takes about 170 man-hours in total.

No surprise then that some Bentley craftsmen and women boast 40 years of specialty experience. And as for those preconceived, clichéd images?

Well, let’s just say the Bentley Mulsanne represents a unique driving experience — pleasing as a rare jewel, inspiring and beauteous as a masterpiece in the Louvre and fun to be with, like a loyal Airedale. To be savoured and enjoyed by a lucky few.

And yes, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, nor should it be. Right, Sir Winston?

 

— Postmedia News