An Exquisitely Handcrafted Car - The New Bentley Mulsanne

A Blurb on the soon to be on sale Bentley MulsanneAudi can be found in this new Bentley (as Bentley is
from the Bentley website:owned by the Volkswagen-Audi Group) and you can
"Something large, fast, refined and comfortable. Thisspecify a NAIM audio system, whatever that is as I
philosophy resonates deeply at Bentley and has, overam not an audiophile, iPod/MP3 user inputs and a
time, created a legacy that embodies all of thesederivative of the Audi MMI system.
characteristics: record-breaking feats, daring exploitsYes, yes, yes. You can find all of these information
and a host of exquisitely handcrafted and beautifullyplastered somewhere on other websites but let's now
engineered cars. Now, more than 90 years later, thego back to the blurb posted above. Especially the part
all-new flagship Bentley Mulsanne embodies W.Owhere it says 'handcrafted'. This would mean that the
Bentley's passion. It is a powerful and elegant driver'sBentley Mulsanne is hand assembled by some blokes
car like nothing else on the road."in overalls at the Bentley factory in Crewe, England.
It is good news that Bentley is coming out with aBut this statement should not be taken too seriously as
replacement for the Arnage, which has been aroundI've read that parts of the Mulsanne will be built by
since the end of the last century. It will have the usualR2D2.
Bentley 6.75-litre V8 but it is redesigned with modernYup. Bentley has allowed robots to assemble parts of
features so that it will meet Euro 5 emissions regulationthe Mulsanne. R2D2 will then weld half of the 6,300
as well as being lighter and with 'new' technology likespot welds in the car. According to the report, the
cylinder de-activation and variable cam timing. Looksreason they're using robots instead of having Harry the
like Bentley has decided to leave the 1950s at last. Notwelder do it is so that there is a balance between
that I really care, as I always loved the old 6.75-litreactual craft and repeatability.
engine that has been around basically unchanged sinceOf course robots are already used in the W12 engine
those days in the pre-split up with Rolls Royce,assembly of slightly cheaper Continental models but
especially in its Turbocharged form in the Turbo Raccording to them the new robots have programming
versions. I have had the pleasure of listening to a 1970sthat would enable them to spot weld with great
Rolls Royce Corniche being started a few years agoaccuracy with a maximum tolerance of less than 8
and it is a characterful V8 lump. Not as silent as you100ths of an inch throughout the Mulsanne's length.
think as it burbles like a traditional V8.I believe that in a way this may be a good thing as
I do not know how much Bentley is going to charge itsmost of the time, structural welds need lots of
customers in Singapore, but in the United Kingdom, theaccuracy which gives it proper strength. Imagine if
land of tea, macaroons and scones, it will sell for aHarry decided to have a late night out at the local pub.
starting price of £220,000 beginning September 2010.He may have a hangover the next day and the
Each car will take 9 weeks to build and there will beBentley he will work on may have extra welds (which
114 paint choices, 21 carpet colours, 9 wood veneersis a good thing) or less welds (which is of course a
and 24 different leather hides. But if the customer isn'tbad thing) or a sloppy weld (which is unbecoming for a
happy with the choices, they can always specify aBentley) for that matter.
custom colour and leather schemes subject to cost ofOf course, you now know that the Mulsanne is not
course. All the latest technology that you can find in anvery handcrafted as you'd expect.