Tuesday 14th January 2014

Bentley Birkin Mulsanne announced

Limited edition limo pays homage to a Bentley boy... with a tailored luggage set

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Did you know limited-run £200K saloons are like buses? It seems like ages since there's been anything new in the market then, just a few days after the Ghost V Spec, the Bentley Birkin Mulsanne has been announced.

Perhaps sir would prefer Damson?

Legendary Bentley boy Sir Henry Ralph Stanley 'Tiger' Tim Birkin provided the inspiration for the latest Mulsanne special.

He was the man who convinced Woolf Barnato to supercharge the Bentley 4 ½ litre back in the 20s to create the 1928 Blower Bentley. Quite significant then.

Standard spec for the Birkin Mulsanne includes the Mulliner Driving spec (a Sport button, quilted leather and plenty of knurled aluminium) plus an Entertainment pack with rear-mounted iPads and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

But any old Mulsanne customer could add those extras, right? To properly distinguish the Birkin, there's a unique set of 21-inch wheels, 3D 'Flying B' logos inside and rather, brilliantly, a tailored luggage set. Each is handmade, individually numbered and matched to the upholstery. Marvellous.

Spot the numbered plaque...

Just three colours are available for the Birkin. Ghost White is the 'fresh and contemporary' option, whilst those who desire 'a more vibrant touch' can opt for Damson. Finally, there's a two-tone Fountain Blue and Dark Sapphire scheme, intended to evoke classic Bentley paint designs.

Bentley will make just 22 Birkin Mulsannes. Expect an appropriate premium over the £225,900 standard car.

 

 

[DiscoColin]

I can't work out why a Birkin edition wouldn't be available in the (darker than traditional British racing) green hue that Bentley raced in...?

[Crusoe]

Is that a merkin with an all black cover?

[Krikkit]

DiscoColin said:

I can't work out why a Birkin edition wouldn't be available in the (darker than traditional British racing) green hue that Bentley raced in...?

Perhaps he didn't like BRG? Either way, I quite like that blue two-tone version.

[Garlick]

Perhaps I'm just a grumpy old man, but the last Bentley saloon to carry any level of class or gravitas was the Arnage. This latest Mulsanne looks awful IMO.

Give me a late model Arnage and I'd be a happy man, I'll leave the new ones to other folk.

[delays]

I like that, actually. Just not in white.

[rj1986]

Nice Rolls Roy...oh

[Devil2575]

Am I the only one who thinks that the idea of a tailored luggage set is awful?

[Monty Zoomer]

I like it in all three colours. I might get one of each.

[FWDRacer]

Firkin abhorrent

[Monty Zoomer]

FWDRacer said:

Firkin abhorrent

What don't you like about it???

[Garlick]

Monty Zoomer said:

FWDRacer said:

Firkin abhorrent

What don't you like about it???

I'm with him. Awful (looking) car.

[Monty Zoomer]

Garlick said:

Monty Zoomer said:

FWDRacer said:

Firkin abhorrent

What don't you like about it???

I'm with him. Awful (looking) car.

I love it, I think it's one of the nicest cars I've seen on PH in ages. It looks great, inside and out, it's brilliant.

I suppose it'd be a boring world if we all liked exactly the same things.

[IanO]

What a missed opportunity - a Bentley Birkin Special Edition should have 900+hp, sumptuous hide wrapped carbon racing seats and be painted BRG (already suggested). At PH we could know it as 'The Bentley Tiger'. This is the chap who was a British Hero and did much to establish Bentley's reputation with the Blower Bentley and his tribute is a matching luggage set!!

[insideimsmiling]

Exactly - the man responsible for the Blower Bentley is best remembered with ... suitcases! Also I agree that the latest Bentley lacks the style of previous models and just looks like a Chinese copy compared to the Arnage. Still I drive a Rover Sterling Coupe as mt daily so not quite in that market and also guilty of questionable taste.

[oop north]

I'd feel a bit of a burk-in that...

(puts on coat and leaves)

[Bill Carr]

I think the car is fine - the interior appears sumptuous - however I can't help but agree that tailored luggage is not the most appropriate way to commemorate a man of Mr.Birkin's renown. A massive, fk-off supercharger and obscene exhaust note would have been my personal choice. Ya hear me Bentley?

[Jim AK]

Garlick said:

Perhaps I'm just a grumpy old man, but the last Bentley saloon to carry any level of class or gravitas was the Arnage. This latest Mulsanne looks awful IMO.

Give me a late model Arnage and I'd be a happy man, I'll leave the new ones to other folk.

You are spot on there Mr Garlick.

Probably best drive I ever did was Juan Les Pins to Hertfordshire in a day with the owner of an Arnage T. I never understood Bentley using the old technology for the Mulsanne, both under the bonnet & drivetrain, & having been fortunate enough to drive one as well as a Ghost I feel the latter is a much more accomplished vehicle.

Not too impressed with the latest Flying Spur either. Looks a bit Meh.

Just a thought but are the likes of Ferrari & Maserati missing a trick here?

Aston Martin or Porsche seem to be the alternative choice unless you want a mainstream up spec Über Barge?

[john2443]

Bill Carr said:

A massive, fk-off supercharger sticking out of the grille and obscene exhaust note would have been my personal choice. Ya hear me Bentley?

[Cheib]

Monty Zoomer said:

I like it in all three colours. I might get one of each.

Someone in the Middle East will probably do just that!

I suspect whoever buys one of these will already have several Bentley's.

[Devil2575]

Bill Carr said:

A massive, fk-off supercharger and obscene exhaust note would have been my personal choice. Ya hear me Bentley?

Yes but that would have required them to do some proper mechanical mods which would have been expensive. This is a simply putting a bit of tinsel on an exisiting product and trying to tell us it's a special edition .