Bentley stretches Mulsanne for Grand Limousine

It’s a palace on wheels: the Bentley Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner.

What's the news?

This behemoth of munificence is the Bentley Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner, a long-wheelbase version of what is already a very long car indeed.

It has an extra 1,000mm slotted into its midriff and it's 79mm taller than a Mulsanne, and there are four seats in the rear which are set up in a private aviation-style configuration, which means passengers sit facing each other.

One of its key features, presumably to prevent its extremely well-heeled and famous occupants from getting snapped by the paps, is electrochromatic 'smart glass' - allowing the VIP passengers to make the rear windows and/or the separator glass between them and the chauffeur opaque at the touch of a button.

That hide-bound cabin sits beneath a wood-veneered roof bow and there's a panel with three dials contained within: the UK time, local time and outside temperature. In the sumptuous rear are iPad charging and docking stations, as well as veneered fold-out tables, a bottle cooler with frosted glass and crystal flutes, and a soft drink cabinet with bespoke tumblers. There's even an intercom system, so commands can be barked at the driver forthwith.

This particular Geneva Motor Show star is finished in two-tone Silver Frost and Moroccan Blue, while its 'Flying B' badge bears the engraving 'Coachbuilt by Mulliner'. It perches on 21-inch wheels and Bentley says 'in accordance with the enhanced dimensions, the Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner is fitted with a fully engineered powertrain, transmission and a re-engineered chassis and suspension', although it doesn't specify precisely to what degree the mechanicals have been adapted to suit all that extra metal, leather and wood.

Anything else?

Wolfgang Dürheimer, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors, comments: "The Mulsanne Grand Limousine showcases the exquisite craftsmanship of our in-house coachbuilder, Mulliner, and exemplifies the way in which our experts consult with a customer to turn their vision into an extraordinary reality. The attention to detail, quality, creativity and skill applied to every Mulliner commission is truly unique in the automotive world."

Published on: March 3, 2016