1984 BENTLEY MULSANNE TURBO

Lot 41
Go to lot
Estimation :
17000 - 22000 EUR
Result with fees
Result : 32 400EUR
1984 BENTLEY MULSANNE TURBO
Serial number SCBZS0T02ECX09275 The Bentley Revival Luxury, power and pleasure French collector title The counterpart to the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, the Bentley Mulsanne made its debut at the 1980 Paris Motor Show. Named after the famous Mance curve at the end of the Hunaudières straight - a nod to the many victories of W.O. Bentley’s machines in the 1930s - this 3.06 metre wheelbase, 5.30 metre long limousine travels at 195 km/h. Its historical significance is no less decisive for Bentley, as it ushers in the brand’s spectacular revival in the 1980s. The Bentley Mulsanne has modernised styling. Compared to the T, the car appeared lower and wider, and the glass area was increased. The major event was the 1982 Geneva Motor Show. With the launch of the Mulsanne Turbo, Bentley rediscovered the virtues of supercharging half a century after the «Blower». The explosive Turbo was to make a lot of noise and transform the venerable firm. A synthesis of luxury and sportiness, this high-performance limousine marked the end of «badge engineering» at Crewe, which consisted of marketing identical models under different brands. Bentley had lost its identity and its customers. The Bentley Mulsanne Turbo is 50% more powerful than the naturally aspirated version. Its 350 hp (approximately, as Crewe remains faithful to its habit of not revealing the power of its engines) make it the most powerful model ever to leave the Rolls-Royce factory. Despite its weight (over 2.2 tonnes), the car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in under 8 seconds. To support the turbocharger, the 6,750cc light-alloy V8 was modified (cylinder heads, pistons and valves). The exhaust system is also new. The Garrett turbo blows nicely at 0.5 bar pressure into a Solex four-barrel carburettor, the system being fitted with a relief valve. The GM Hydramatic three-speed automatic transmission has been given a gear ratio to suit the very high torque at low revs. Externally, the Mulsanne Turbo is identifiable by its body-coloured grille and dual exhaust. The car was sold only in Europe (mainly the UK and Germany) and the Middle East. It was a success there, and about 100 were produced annually from Crewe until 1985, a third of Bentley’s total production. In 18 years of production, the Mulsanne and its derivatives transformed Bentley into Crewe’s most dynamic brand. The model on display is the Mulsanne Turbo. Both the interior and exterior are well preserved and the green paintwork combined with the beige leather interior is a perfect marriage of Britishness.
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue