Bentley Mulsanne 2013 Review

It weighs 2.7 tonnes, is favoured by the British monarchy and rhymes with gently. And it goes without saying that Bentley builds some of the most opulent automobiles on the planet. Having just driven one of the most lavish in the range, the Mulsanne, I'm impressed.

Pegged at an eye-watering $662,857, the Mulsanne on test is priced at almost $820,000 on the road, as things like the stamp duty, luxury car tax, dealer delivery and a handful of options take their toll.

One of the options, the Mulliner package, costs around $40,000 says the Melbourne Bentley dealer we collected the car from. It adds things like 21-inch polished alloy wheels, Bentley Flying 'B' vents behind the front wheels, lettered door sills and incredibly supple diamond-quilted leather upholstered absolutely everywhere.

Attention to detail in the cabin is exquisite, and rightly so. For close to a million bucks you wouldn't want anything less -- the quality of the metalwork that goes into the air vents, the woodgrain dash and hand-stitched leather upholstery a few of the highlights.

It's got squillions of features and all the mod cons -- remote DVD players, wireless headphone, four SD card slots, USB connections, three TV screens with a digital tuner, the list goes on. But the most impressive thing about car is the execution rather than the content.

The finer details are beautifully engineered, from the way the iPhone draw slides out smoothly to the reworking of classic Bentley ventilation toggles -- simple but heavy metallic organ stops.

Driving the car is a little nerve-wracking at first, particularly because of the car's immense length. The long bonnet seems to stretch off into the horizon and blocks out a fair chunk of the road ahead. But after 20 minutes behind the wheel the car seems to close in around the driver somewhat, and it becomes an enjoyable and relaxing vehicle to pilot.

A large 6.75-litre (or six and three-quarter litre in Bentley parlance) V8 is boosted by a pair of turbochargers and delivers effortless acceleration. Even a minor flex of the right foot results in smooth but immediate motion.

The twin-turbo pushrod V8 engine generates 377kW at 4200rpm and 1020Nm at 1750rpm, which is good enough to propel the car's ludicrous 2711kg mass to 100km/h in just 5.3 seconds. That peak power and torque occur so low in the rev range are good indications of what this car is all about: smooth but assertive cruising.

Sure, the L410 series V8 engine can trace it design back to 1968, but it's output is impressive, and the subdued background eight-cylinder burble is pleasant not raucous. It's not a fast revving unit but doesn't need to be.

Power arrives at the rear-wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, complete with textured aluminium finger paddle shifters. That the engine revs barely above idle to generate maximum thrust is impressive, and the real-world manifestation is satisfying to say the least.

We only noticed one issue with the driveline, and that was when the transmission sometimes 'dropped' into higher gears under easing throttle pressure at freeway speeds. Not a good thing for a car of this calibre.

Despite the huge 21-inch wheels, ride comfort is buttery smooth for the most part, the Mulsanne cosseting driver and passengers within a luxurious and tranquil cocoon. Even on pock-marked surfaces and patchwork road the car seems to glide along smoothly.

The Mulliner option also adds adjustable suspension, with Custom, Comfort, Sport and Bentley settings. My favourite was the Bentley mode. Smooth sailing.

However, the car’s weight does play against it in corners, where it tends to pitch around like a boat if you go faster than the speed of Jeeves the Butler.

The steering feels gritty at highway speeds and isn’t especially consistent. At times, the wheel is heavy, then in the same scenario, unusually light. It's as if it's cycling or experiencing an hydraulic surge in the same motion.

It's not an easy car to park either, due to its steering and length. An automated hands-free park assistant is nowhere to be seen -- something $40,000 Holden Commodores get as standard.

Then again, the best seat in the car is not the driver's. Indeed, the back seat is the pace to be, and those who can afford a Mulsanne probably already have a chauffeur.

Simply put, this is the kind of car that Rupert Murdoch, Kerry Stokes or perhaps James Packer would own, and they wouldn't be sitting in the driver's seat.

The car is hugely popular among the Chinese elite who prefer to be chauffeured around, and Bentley's almost 5.6 metre-long body ensures a huge amount of space in the back seats.

The rear seats are electrically adjustable, have a massage function and there's even a small control panel that allows passengers to override audio and climate controls (with a woodgrain cover, naturally).

Add one of the world's best car audio systems, a $15,000 Naim unit, plus fold-out timber tables and plush-pile carpets and you're basically looking at a first-class airliner cabin.

The options list is extensive and if you thought BMW extras were pricey, think again. There's the iPad specification executive interior ($66,101), the Extreme satin silver prestige paint ($52,709) or the rear glass champagne fridge with crystal flutes ($20,320) to add more pomp.

Bentley was founded in 1919 by a bloke called W.O Bentley, and it was his goal "To build a good car, a fast car, the best in class". I reckon the Mulsanne meets these goals, and then some.