Jump LinksBentley Mulsanne Common ProblemsNo one does over-the-top luxury quite like the British. Brands like Bentley have, for over a century, been the gold standard for opulence and prestige on four wheels. The formula for making its luxury barges has changed little, with tons of leather, acres of interior space, and vast reserves of power still being the order of things today. Even with the changes in the automotive landscape, which have seen the exponential growth in the popularity of SUVs and the electrification of many manufacturers’ lineups, Bentley remains a bastion of British luxury. But what happened to the flagship sedan in its lineup, the Bentley Mulsanne?The car that sits atop Bentley’s range would traditionally be a large luxury limo with a similar size and stature to Rolls-Royce’s flagship model. In 2026, however, while Rolls-Royce still produces the Phantom, Bentley stopped producing its Mulsanne almost six years ago with no obvious successor to fill the gap it left in the lineup. There is still a Bentley sedan in the form of the Flying Spur, which rivals the Rolls-Royce Ghost, and Rolls-Royce and Bentley have recently been trying to outdo each other over who can make the most ostentatious luxury SUV with the Cullinan and the Bentayga, respectively. But we feel that something is missing from Bentley’s lineup, now that there is no longer a car that combines the driving-focused nature of a fast Mercedes and the stately British luxury akin to a Rolls-Royce. This is why we will be doing a Bentley Mulsanne review where we take a look at its background, what made it great, and what you can expect if you decide to take the plunge on a used example.This article looks back at the history and Legacy of the Bentley Mulsanne, as well as describing what the car was like to drive and own, and provides buyer's advice for buying a used Mulsanne. All car specs are from the original manufacturer, and used pricing values come from listings from a wide range of online marketplaces. The Background Of The Bentley Mulsanne itsBentley In 1980, Bentley and Rolls-Royce were effectively the same company, both under the ownership of Vickers. After poor sales, which saw Bentley only making up five percent of the combined sales, it sought to inject some performance back into its lineup, after years of being seen merely as Rolls-Royce’s poor relation. The 1980 Mulsanne flagship best represented this, and it had the same 6.75-liter V8 that was used by the more pompous Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit. However, it was altogether a more performance-oriented model, and out of the two, was the one you’d want to drive rather than be driven in. The car would be in production until the late 1990s, although after effectively splitting into two models with different amounts of power, the less expensive Mulsanne S became the Brooklands in 1992. Both this and the higher-priced turbo R would be replaced by the Arnage in 1998. The Rebirth Of The Mulsanne Name BentleyAfter a battle between Volkswagen and BMW for the ownership of Rolls-Royce M0otors, and Bentley by default, after Vickers decided to sell up, Rolls-Royce ended up going to BMW and Bentley eventually became part of the VW group’s then rapidly growing portfolio of brands. After the Arnage, the last non-VW-developed Bentley, went out of production in 2009, Bentley needed a new flagship to sit at the top of the range after newer models like the Continental had revitalized the brand.Bentley Design And Interior: A Luxury Flagship Done Right Bentley At over 18 feet long, the first thing you notice about the exterior of the Mulsanne is its sheer presence. But it is not just the size that makes every other car (besides perhaps Rolls-Royce’s Phantom) quiver in its tires. It is also the way in which it is styled that just oozes old money. The imposing front grille harks back to the Blower Bentleys of the 1930s and also differentiates it from the Flying Spur, with its more streamlined front end it shares with the Continental. The singular round headlights separate it from many German rivals with their dual LED designs, and in the same way that the Phantom has the spirit of ecstasy adorning the front of its hood, the Mulsanne has the Flying B. It isn’t the prettiest car in the world, but that isn’t the point. In this price bracket of cars, it isn’t a beauty contest; it’s all about status.Bentley Few would argue that the interior, on the other hand, is not beautiful. Sure, you can tell it was launched for the 2010 model year, with the small infotainment screen, which definitely can’t mirror your smartphone, and a whole host of buttons, some of which just provide a shortcut to different menus on that small screen.Bentley But the fit and finish of the metals, wood, leather, and the clockfaces make the Mulsanne’s interior a retro delight in a world where automakers measure luxury by how many functions you can bury in a giant touchscreen. As well as feeling reassuringly expensive, the Mulsanne was available with myriad customization options for colors, trims, and veneers. It also came with comfort features like massaging seats for the front and the rear passengers, who were also treated to picnic tables, retractable footrests, and detachable rear seat displays. Bentley Mulsanne Driving And Performance BentleyLike the first Mulsanne from the last century, this Mulsanne is powered by a big, low-revving V8 engine, and not a V12 like the equivalent Rolls-Royce or a W12, like the Continental. It is actually a lighter and heavily reworked version of the familiar Rolls-Royce-Bentley L-Series engine that had been in service since 1959, this time with two turbochargers and variable valve timing. The power output, however, will not be familiar at all, with the Mulsanne producing 505 horsepower and 752 lb-ft of torque, all going to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. If this wasn’t enough oomph, Bentley released a separate Mulsanne model called the Mulsanne Speed in 2014, with 530 hp and a potentially tire-shredding 811 lb-ft of torque.Bentley Having a fair bit of power is all well and good, and you would expect a car of this stature to have over 500 hp, especially when the ultimate chauffeur-mobile, the Rolls-Royce Phantom, produces a similar amount. But despite the Mulsanne tipping the scales at over 6,000 lbs, its driving characteristics are rather different. It can waft around in great comfort, helping its passengers to disconnect from the world, but get in the driver’s seat and press on, and you will notice a certain poise to the chassis and directness to the steering. The Mulsanne Speed sharpens things up further, with a sports mode, helping it to feel even more like a sports sedan in all but size.“The Mulsanne offers impressive athleticism and agility, along with almost unbeatable luxury and lavish style. While most are likely to enjoy the Mulsanne from the back seat, the driver's seat is by no means a dull place to be either.”- Sebastian Cenzino, Former Senior Editor, CarbBuzz, on the 2020 Bentley Mulsanne The Death Of The Mulsanne And Its Legacy Bentley As wonderful a car as the Mulsanne was, being wonderful is not enough of a reason to keep producing a model on its own - it also needs to make money. In 2020, production of the Mulsanne ended, and along with it, the six-decade-long life of its 6¾-liter engine and the almost 100-year-long tradition of Bentley’s full-size flagship sedans. The reason Bentley gave at the time was one that anyone who has noticed the continuing rise in popularity of the SUV will not be surprised by. Far more deep-pocketed luxury buyers were buying the Bentayga, and this reflects the wider decline in demand for sedans in the luxury car market. Despite Bentley delaying its plans to go all-electric by five years, it remains clear that a Mulsanne successor wouldn’t make financial sense.Bentley This makes the Mulsanne truly the last of a breed, the last vestige of what the company once was, as it now focuses on bringing out yet more SUVs and will soon have an EV in its lineup for the first time. Many of us, however, miss the very much old-money approach of the Mulsanne in the face of more new-money cars like the Bentayga. Now that there is no Bentley flagship sedan, the only other cars to occupy this space are Rolls-Royce’s Phantom and the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. Should You Buy A Used Mulsanne? BentleyWhile the Mulsanne is not available to buy new and hasn’t been for some time, you’re probably wondering what you would be paying for a used example and whether it is a good idea to take the plunge on one. When it was new, the Mulsanne started at over $300,000, meaning it had the sticker price to compete with that of the Rolls-Royce Phantom, but depreciation hasn’t been kind. The Mulsanne’s loss, however, is our gain, as you can easily find a Mulsanne from the early 2010s for around a third of this. Even models from after the Mulsanne received a mid-life facelift in 2016 can be had for little over $120k. This means that a used Mulsanne is now cheaper than a new Mercedes-AMG S63. Bentley Mulsanne Common Problems Oil Leaks Air suspension problems Brake wear Transmission issues Software glitches Bentley The Mulsanne was completely handmade in Bentley’s Crewe factory, with each one taking 16 days to make and all under Volkswagen’s watchful eye. Given this, you would expect the Mulsanne to be pretty solid and have few reliability issues. While this generally holds true, there are some issues to look out for, such as oil leaks around the valve covers or the turbochargers, rough shifting, and bugs with the infotainment system. Regular servicing and specialist care should ensure most of these issues are avoided, but the Mulsanne is a large and complicated vehicle, so you still expect to spend around $3,000 on annual maintenance. Provided you’ve got the dough to buy and maintain this luxury flagship, we see no reason why you shouldn’t, as there is no other Bentley, and possibly no car from any other automaker on sale quite like it.