Pebble Beach 09': Bentley Mulsanne

Bentley Grand, New Grand Bentley - it finally has a name, Mulsanne. And no, according to Bentley it is not a replacement for the Arnage. Perish the thought! It's an entirely new vehicle, at the "pinnacle of the ultra luxury segment."

It's here and it's beautiful, everything I expected and more. The Mulsanne subtly evokes Bentley's of the past with it's flowing body-line and dramatic rear end. The Mulsanne also shows a new take on the styling cues that are on display with the Continental GT/Flying Spur.

For instance the headlights, while still a dual setup, feature one main lamp. With Bentley, while there needs to be a familial look, there also needs to be significant differentiation between the lower and higher end entries. That has been accomplished brilliantly. Rolls-Royce Phantom vs. the Bentley Mulsanne? I'd have to definitely have to go with the Mulsanne. What do you guys think?

I love the chrome strip that extends along the car from the beginning of the front fender and wraps around to the back. As you can see, the rumored hidden door-handles are a no go. It doesn't matter though - the rear still looks coupe-like in it's execution. Stylistically there really isn't a comparison between the aging Arnage and the Mulsanne. The Arnage is far more upright while the Mulsanne takes a far different tack. The car definitely has a lot of presence.

The Arnage's basic design looks similar to the Mulsanne the launched in 1980. The new name makes the generational naming go Mulsanne > Arnage > Mulsanne.

Also, apparently the Pebble Beach unveiling is a preview of the full information drop that is to come at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September. Hence no engine specifications, pricing details or interior shots (!). Bentley did confirm the Mulsanne is powered by a V8 engine though. That's all for now! Now we await the details and the interior pictures, which I can't wait to see. Looking good Bentley!