Even though the Flying Spur is and was a much more popular Bentley ever since it came out, that doesn’t take anything away from the Mulsanne. While the Flying Spur was almost entirely built out of the VW parts bin and it went after speed to secure headlines, the Mulsanne was always a much more special and more graceful model. Being the first independently built Bentley model in over 80 years, and so far the last one, the Mulsanne contains more Bentley DNA than any model in modern history. And while the 2018 Mulsanne is still pretty fast, that’s not its main highlight. That title has to go to luxury, comfort and pure craftsmanship as it takes right around 400 hours to be hand built. Moreover, the 2018 Mulsanne also gets some major updates which make it look just as modern as the latest Bentley generation despite the platform being unveiled in a now distant year, 2010. It’s also more advanced than ever and more bespoke but before we go into more details, check out if any are currently available at Exotic Car Trader.
After it was unveiled back in 2010, the Mulsanne came as quite a refreshment as engine and platform sharing was coming into full swing. Both the Continental GT and the Flying Spur, the only new models in over ten years, were built on a VW platform and they used VW engines. Granted, they were amazing cars, but they lacked the Bentley spirit which is important for a brand of its caliber. But the Mulsanne would be built on an all new designated platform developed entirely by Bentley and it still used the old 6.75 liter V8 which the long term Bentley customers had fallen in love with. That made the Mulsanne a middle finger in the face of shareholder value maximization everyone was aching for. It also made it the most authentic Bentley model since the 1930 8-Litre, and the brand most certainly deserved to have it. All those characteristics helped the Mulsanne sell in over 7,300 examples despite the price range being $280,000 to nearly $400,000. Over the years, the Mulsanne also got a Speed trim and an EWB body style while a minor update was included in 2014 and a major facelift in 2016 which means the 2018 Mulsanne includes both of those making it one of the most advanced ones made before it went out of production in 2020. Even in 2024, no new model is in the plans and it’s highly unlikely it will ever be, at least not while Bentley is still owned by the VW group.
The 2018 Mulsanne interior is miles ahead of the older model years built before the 2016 update. But before we go into all the improvements, we have to look at the interior as a whole first. Not only is it humongous with even more space in the rear part of the cabin, but virtually everything is covered in leather. Bentley states that they have to use the leather of 17 bulls to wrap everything up, while the interior takes 150 hours to build and features 40 parts that are entirely handmade. If that doesn’t paint the picture of what a Mulsanne interior looks like we don’t know what does. As for the 2016 update, it brought glass switchgear which adds depth to all the dials and makes the interior feel that much more bespoke and expensive. Moreover, the new touchscreen infotainment system is generations ahead of the previous one and includes Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The rear part of the cabin gets new 10.2 inch retracting tablets in the front seats together with foot rests, tables and a refrigerator needless to say, even the rear seats are cooled, heated, massaging and fully adjustable. The rear passengers can also control the main infotainment system via those Android tablets while the AC controls are now touchscreen as well. Besides all the technology, no matter where your eyes land inside a 2018 Mulsanne, it becomes immediately obvious why it costs as much as it does.
The 2018 Mulsanne exterior is easily distinguishable from the older models as the 2016 update focused on blending the Mulsanne with the upcoming third generation of models. So, the front headlights became full LED with daytime running lights going full circle. The front bumper got a thorough redesign and is now divided into three separate intakes making the Mulsanne look a bit more aggressive than before. And then the front grille got vertical bars in place of a metal mesh. That was a nice throwback to the 1930 8-Litre we mentioned earlier but it doesn’t make the Mulsanne look outdated, on the contrary. The side profile didn’t get any revisions apart from bigger and more modern wheels but the rear got new flying B shaped tail lights. Overall, the design looks just as modern today in 2024 as it did when it first came out and you would never think it was nearly ten years old. We also have to mention just how big the Mulsanne is since it’s longer than the latest Escalade and wider than all modern full size trucks giving it quite the presence on the road. Also, the entire body and chassis is mostly made out of steel and is hand finished adding to the 250 hours it takes to complete the exterior.
There is no denying that the Flying Spur is a much more engaging car to drive, and a noticeably faster one as well. However, the 2018 Mulsanne is arguably much more impressive with all things considered. And the first thing to consider is that it weighs well over 5,700 lbs which is only rivaled by the Rolls Royce Phantom and the latest full size SUVs. Moreover, the 2018 Mulsanne is still rear wheel drive so putting all that torque and horsepower down becomes quite a challenge. The 6.75 liter V8 makes 752 lb-ft of torque at just 1,750 RPMs which is nearly 200 more than the W12 in the Flying Spur, and the W12 makes the torque at 2,000 RPMs. That said, the 2018 Mulsanne makes quite a bit less horsepower with a maximum rating of 505hp. But that doesn’t make it any less impressive, especially when we consider that the Mulsanne gets 19 mpg despite its weight. Acceleration is also very close to the Flying Spur with a 4.9 second 0-60 time and a top speed of 190 mph. At the same time, the 2016 update brought driving modes, active engine mounts and revised air suspension making the 2018 Mulsanne handle much better than before.
With a starting price of $303,000 in 2018, the Mulsanne was in the top three most expensive sedans on the market. Not to mention that the options would easily take it to $350,000. And while there aren’t that many 2018 Mulsannes for sale, its prices are erratic as they are for earlier model years. Asking prices usually sit at around $150,000 to $180,000 but they rarely get a buyer. Those that do sell go for around $120,000 to $130,000 making it obvious that the prices haven’t settled yet. But at both of those price ranges, the 2018 Mulsanne is still cheaper than the Phantom making it quite a deal, although depreciation is still fairly unpredictable.
The 2018 Mulsanne is a truly special car considering it’s the model which retired the decades old V8 and being so far the last model Bentley developed on its own. But that’s only half the story thanks to Mulsanne’s performance, luxury and the craftsmanship that went into building each example. If you are looking to buy this important piece of Bentley’s history, or any other luxury car for that matter, doing so through Exotic Car Trader is one of your best options out there. With escrow protection, delivery and first inspection, Exotic Car Trader ensures you get what you were looking for. The same goes if you sell a car with Exotic Car Trader only in that case the process becomes even more convenient.
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