The 2015 Bentley Mulsanne Speed, with its 530 horsepower and 811 lb-ft of torque, would prefer to move much faster. That torque figure is second only to that of the Bugatti Veyron (until you start counting heavy-duty pickups and niche supercar builders like Koenigsegg), yet neither is the monotony entirely unrepresentative. A sedan like this will inevitably spend a significant portion of its life slogging through the sprawl as it connects the heliports to the marinas in the world’s wealthiest, most urbane cities.
Bentley tells us that the distinction between a Mulsanne owner and a Mulsanne Speed buyer is that the former is more likely to be a passenger while the latter is apt to drive his own car. That hasn’t stopped the Brits from lavishing luxuries on the rear-seat passengers. Our $407,235 test car came equipped with a $10,970 champagne cooler and a trio of crystal Bentley flutes, plus $28,760 worth of entertainment equipment, including a 20-speaker Naim sound system, video monitors in the backs of the front-seat headrests, and picnic tables that motor up and out to reveal an iPad and a Bluetooth keyboard.
The Mulsanne Speed’s identity is a dichotomy; it’s a purpose-built chauffeured ride on one hand and a decent driver’s car on the other. It’s definitely not a sports car nor even a sports sedan. The Mulsanne Speed is simply more: more power, more torque, more exclusivity, and more money. The only thing it can’t offer? More time.
