The high-performance take on the luxurious Bentley Muslanne has been confirmed by the automaker for a late-2014 debut, with the Paris Motor Show being the most likely launchpad.
Bentley has confirmed the upcoming launch of the new flagship Mulsanne Speed, which will make its official debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. In an interview with Auto Express, Bentley CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer revealed that the new high-performance twist on the iconic Muslanne recipe would be outed at a major even this year.
“We will see Mulsanne developments at motor shows in 2014”, he said, leading pundits to believe that it’ll be making its first outing in France.
For the Mulsanne Speed, Bentley is to use the same 6.75-liter V8 engine as that of the existing version, but will up its outage to closer to the 550BHP mark – up from the current 505BHP. Top speed is expected to be increased to 200MPH or more from the current 184MPH, while zero-to-62MPH times will come in under the five-second mark.
A series of refinements to the chassis and steering are also likely to contribute to a more responsive and agile ride, though Bentley will as always be focused more on the luxurious comfort of the new Mulsanne that its track potential, or so they’ve reassured.
No official price details have yet been confirmed, but you can bet that the Mulsanne Speed won’t bring you much change out of $450,000 when it finally goes on sale.