When the Queen recently visited Berlin, she had of course brought her company car with her from the Thames to the Spree along with an extensive entourage and numerous costumes, hats and gloves; one specially rebuilt for the crowned head Bentley Arnage, with a higher roof - because of the headdress - and all-round glazing so that Madame can wave out well. We wanted to know how it was traveling as a queen, so we took Arnage's successor Bentley Mulsanne - not with a royal conversion, but with the extra-fast speed version.
Compared to the eleven million euros that the British state limousine is worth, the almost 324.00 euro list price for the Mulsanne Speed seems almost like a bargain; after all, you get more than 5,58 meters of car, which are surprisingly handy - even without a chauffeur. Even the narrow one-way streets in downtown Munich were not a big obstacle and parking is easy, provided there is a correspondingly large gap. But let's be honest: Hardly anyone is allowed to buy a Mulsanne to sit behind the wheel.
So we quickly leave the left front seat and open the heavy rear doors, which allow access to a sofa area lined with leather from no less than 14 cattle. Separated from a wide center console, two passengers can make themselves comfortable in fully adjustable seats; a small footrest, massage function and a cuddly pillow ensure royal comfort fine-tuning. If you want, you can fold out the little table in front of you, which also includes an electrically extending iPad holder, and work a little; WiFi is of course on board and additional screens can be installed in the headrests of the front seats.
However, it is more convenient to reach into the refrigerator, which is mounted in the backrest - wherever the average consumer has at most one ski sack - and pour a glass of champagne (two bottles fit in). Three hand-cut crystal champagne flutes are included in the price, which you can also expect for more than 9.500 euros. And so that no one is watching you while drinking, you can completely darken the side windows and rear window with a heavy, black velvet curtain; however, the curtains also cost an additional 6.000 euro. But there are also a few hundred hours of manual work in a Mulsanne. The attention to detail with which the limousine is manufactured at the headquarters in Crewe is shown not only by the filigree air volume controls, which are reminiscent of organ registers, or the repeatedly appearing, corrugated metal surface - for example on the gear selector lever on the inside (!) Of the outer door handles or on the radio key. As far as the eye can see, it discovers small, fine details that make a Bentley a truly royal automobile.
However, the only thing that could live up to the nickname Speed in the interior, which is decorated with leather with plenty of high-gloss piano lacquer, are the carbon trim strips in the doors, which, of course, are not available without extra money. Apart from that, the speed version is more likely to accelerate the regulars' table, pardon, golfcub whispering. Because the difference from now 395 kW / 537 horsepower to the standard 377 kW / 512 PS of the 6,75 liter V8 will not be noticed by a driver and certainly not a rear passenger, and the plus of 80 Newton meters is 1.100 in view of now Newton meters of torque tend to be neglected. You can tell what these enormous numbers mean when the driver goes full throttle: entertaining 4,9 seconds pass, then the speedometer shows 100 km / h. It's something as fast as a Porsche 911, with the difference that it weighs 1,4 tons - and the Bentley weighs a whopping 2.685 kilograms. Lightweight construction is a foreign word for the British. You will notice this at the latest when you unscrew the cool, milled metal filler cap. Or if you pick up one of the three ashtrays, each weighing over a pound, which were always a weapon of murder in a Miss Marple thriller.
As brute as the Brit sprints from a standing start, he also masters the intermediate sprint briskly. The eight-speed automatic has found the right gear in no time at all to be able to draw from the abundant torque. If you want it even faster, you can activate the sport mode, then the transmission keeps the speed constant at over 2.000 tours, so that the two turbochargers respond even faster. Fortunately, Bentley has given up the exaggeration of the riot, the eighth person is extremely reserved at all times. The engineers have also given the wind noises a removal; even at 200 km / h there is only a slight whisper on the large exterior mirrors.
Then, however, the potential was not even exhausted by two thirds: Only at Tempo 305 (with a high-speed option that is subject to a surcharge) is the end - the Mulsanne Speed is the fastest production sedan in the world. To test this, however, it takes a lot of clear road; not necessarily for acceleration, but for braking. Because a good three tons of live weight cannot be brought to a standstill with 40 centimeter stoppers. In addition, one should indulge in the speed rush as possible on a route without curves, because the mass pays tribute to every bend in physics.
For a crowned head, such jaunts are certainly not appropriate. So we warn the driver to take a leisurely pace and enjoy the heavenly peace in the rear and the gentle rocking when rough bumps in the asphalt have to be ironed out again. If you are on the road like this, you do not necessarily need the power of the eight cylinders, which is why the Mulsanne Speed quickly shuts down four combustion chambers with moderate power demand - of course without the driver noticing any of it. With an average consumption of 14,6 liters - measured according to EU standards - this is just a drop in the bucket. But in this league only the authorities are interested in consumption, if anything, and certainly not the customers. Especially not when they have a crown on their heads.
Author: Michael Gebhardt / SP-X