British luxury marque, Bentley, has just put the 6.75 Edition out to sea. Sad as it is to say, but the Mulsanne – Crewe’s flagship model – will cease production during the second quarter of 2020, a decade after going on sale. The death of the Mulsanne also spells the end for another British Icon.
Save for the Rover V8, Bentley’s 6.75-litre (known famously as the Six and Three-Quarter Litre) V8 is one of the most well-known of British engines. The Rolls-Royce-Bentley L-Series mill has been in continuous production for 60 years and is considered by the brand as the world’s longest serving V8. The engine was first used in the 1959 Bentley S2.
It isn’t all doom and gloom though, Crewe will be producing 30 units of the Mulsanne 6.75 Edition and its legendary powerplant before the assembly line is halted. Those 30 units will be created by famed coachbuilders, Mulliner, and will be based on the existing Mulsanne Speed whose V8 engine produces 395kW and a staggering 1,100Nm of twist supplied by a pair of twin-scroll turbochargers.
The 6.75 Edition has subtle references to the stonking great V8 under bonnet scattered around the car. In the cabin, there are schematic cutaway drawings of the soon-to-be discontinued powerplant used for the faces of the clock and minor gauges. The ‘organ stop’ ventilation controls are replaced by miniature versions of the engine oil cap. There are 6.75 Edition logos on the headrests, as well as the exterior and puddle lamps.
The interior of Bentley truly is a special thing. Crafted from the best materials, it is a sight to behold and a sensation to be savoured. The 6.75 Edition will be offered in four single tone hides, namely: imperial Blue, Beluga, Fireglow and Newmarket Tan. Silver accents are present throughout the cabin including contrast stitching and piping as well as painted veneer for the centre console.
Under the bonnet, there’s not only a 6.75 Edition logo but the Engine Number Plaque – traditionally signed by the craftsman who built it – will be signed by the Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive, Adrian Hallmark. Further, the engine’s intake manifold will be finished in black in lieu of the traditional silver. The dark theme doesn’t just end there.
The exterior of the Mulsanne 6.75 Edition has its brightware swapped out for dark tinted ones. With the exception of the headlight and tail lamp surrounds, almost all of the chrome has been ‘blacked out’, including the grille, Flying B bonnet ornament, exhaust tips, windows and lower body trim. Even the 21-inch five-spoke Mulsanne Speed alloy wheels feature gloss black sections.
Bentley has also said the recently renewed Flying Spur model will take the reins as the company’s new flagship sedan. Furthermore, Crewe has electrification in mind for it with some estimating it’ll receive the 3.0-litre V6 plug-in hybrid drivetrain from the Bentayga Hybrid when it debuts in 2023.
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