The Bentley Mulsanne Turbo was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in February 1982 and produced until 1985. It added a Garrett AiResearch turbocharger to the 6.75-litre V8 of the Mulsanne for a 50 per cent increase in power, something not seen on a Bentley in half a century, and it began the rebuilding of Bentley as an individual sporting marque.
Bentley Mulsanne Turbo at a glance
| Maker | Bentley Motors, Crewe |
|---|---|
| Production | 1982–1985 |
| Based on | Bentley Mulsanne (1980–1992) |
| Engine | 6.75-litre V8 with Garrett AiResearch turbocharger |
| Power | about 300 hp, 50 per cent more than the standard Mulsanne |
| Transmission | three-speed automatic |
| Suspension | independent with coil springs on both axles |
| Acceleration | 0–60 mph in 7.0 seconds |
| Weight | about 100 kg more than the standard Mulsanne |
| Built | 498 standard wheelbase and 18 long wheelbase |
| Replaced by | Bentley Turbo R in 1985 |
History of the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo
The Mulsanne range
The Mulsanne was introduced in 1980 as the replacement for the Bentley T-series and the sister model of the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit. It was the first new Bentley since 1965, and contrary to its predecessors it was given a name instead of a letter: the Mulsanne straight is the part of the Le Mans circuit where cars reach their highest speeds, and the name recalled Bentley’s five victories there between 1924 and 1930. The car used the 6.75-litre Rolls-Royce V8 with aluminium alloy cylinder heads, at first with two SU carburettors and from 1986 with Bosch fuel injection, and a General Motors three-speed automatic transmission. A short wheelbase of 3,060 mm and a long one of 3,160 mm were offered, and from the 1985 model year the Mulsanne could be told from the Silver Spirit by its four round headlamps.
The turbocharged version
The Mulsanne Turbo was launched at Geneva in February 1982. Its Garrett AiResearch turbocharger gave what Bentley described as 50 per cent more than sufficient power, estimated at about 300 hp, and with numerous modifications the car was about 100 kg heavier than the basic saloon. The gain showed less in top speed than in acceleration: the sprint from 0 to 60 mph took 7.0 seconds, against 10.0 seconds for the unblown Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit. The interior kept the usual highly polished walnut veneer, leather upholstery and pure wool carpets and headlining, and the car rode on alloy wheels.
A total of 498 standard-wheelbase and 18 long-wheelbase Mulsanne Turbos were built before the model was replaced by the Bentley Turbo R in 1985, which used a fuel-injected version of the same engine from 1987. A British racing green Turbo appears in the James Bond novels Role of Honour and Nobody Lives for Ever by John Gardner.
The rest of the family
In 1984 the cheaper Bentley Eight joined the range, and in 1987 the basic Mulsanne gave way to the Mulsanne S, which kept the unblown engine but took the Turbo R’s alloy wheels and interior and had firmer suspension; 909 were built on the standard wheelbase and 61 on the long one, and quad round headlamps arrived for 1989. Bentley also tested the BMW Goldfisch V16 engine in a Mulsanne as a possible upgrade for the turbocharged V8. It fitted the engine bay with room for the radiator and ancillaries, but it was never sold to the public. The Mulsanne was replaced by the Brooklands in 1992.
Design and features
- Turbocharged V8: a Garrett AiResearch turbocharger added 50 per cent to the power of the 6.75-litre engine.
- Acceleration: 0–60 mph in 7.0 seconds, three seconds quicker than the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit.
- Traditional interior: walnut veneer, leather and wool, as expected of a Crewe saloon.
- Two wheelbases: a standard 3,060 mm chassis or a long 3,160 mm one.
Bentley Mulsanne Turbo versions
- Mulsanne Turbo (1982–1985): 498 standard and 18 long-wheelbase cars.
- Bentley Eight (1984–1992): the cheaper, more simply equipped sister model.
- Mulsanne S (1987–1992): unblown engine with Turbo R trim, 909 plus 61 long-wheelbase cars.
- Bentley Turbo R (1985–): the successor, with fuel injection from 1987.
The Mulsanne Turbo led to the Bentley Turbo R and shared its range with the Bentley Eight. More cars are in the Bentley collection.
Video: ᴴᴰ 1984 Rolls-Royce Bentley Mulsanne Turbo 6.8 L:In depth tour & Test Drive
Video by Driver’s View Official on YouTube.
Sources
- Bentley Mulsanne (1980–1992), English Wikipedia: range, turbo, production, Mulsanne S
- Bentley Mulsanne, German Wikipedia: models, turbo details, production
- Bentley Mulsanne, Italian Wikipedia: turbo power, interior, performance
_01.jpg){kind=link}
_03.jpg){kind=link}