Lot 10: Bentley Mulsanne

A square-cut, broad-shouldered design, the Bentley Mulsanne was styled in-house by Austrian born Fritz Feller. Introduced at the 1980 Paris Motor Show, it enjoyed notably greater road presence than its T2 predecessor as well as a thirty percent larger glass area. Thus, while it looked suitably imposing from the outside, internally it proved pleasantly airy. Although, based on the T2 floorpan, the Mulsanne offered considerable improvements in both ride and handling thanks to its new Girling automatic ride height control and gas shock absorbers. By combining copious amounts of sound deadening with the finest quality upholstery, Crewe's engineers kept intrusion from the 6.75 litre V8 engine and three-speed automatic transmission to a muted hush (unless the model's reputed 120mph potential was explored). Driver inputs were minimised with power assisted steering and disc brakes. Only in production between 1980 and 1987 (by which time it had gained Bosch fuel injection), just 482 Bentley Mulsanne Saloons are thought to have been made. Finished in red with cream leather upholstery, this particular example is described by the vendor as being in "good overall" condition with regard to its automatic transmission, electrical equipment, interior trim, bodywork and paintwork (while, he rates the engine as "very good"). Reportedly "first owned by the showbiz personality Adam Faith", 'RTT 763W' is further understood to have "spent some time in Holland". Said to "run and drive very well", this early Mulsanne is offered for sale with MOT certificate valid until October 2009.