Should you buy a Bentley Mulsanne?

Now the Bentley Mulsanne is out of production, getting the best car for you comes down to trawling the dealers and specialists and picking the model based on your personal tastes. It’s not perfect but it is magnificent, especially given the strength of the opposition – yes there are rivals, but you can count them on the fingers of one hand – the Mercedes-Maybach S600 and Rolls-Royce Phantom spring to mind.

Positive points are its wonderful styling and beautifully-crafted interior, as well as its towering and effortless performance. But it’s not faultless, and as a luxury car, the Phantom is probably better in objective terms. However, when did anyone buy a car such as this on rational grounds.

It’s not a driver’s car per se, but you’d have to be soulless not to love driving a Mulsanne. There’s real pleasure to be had from every time you experience thrust, and every spectacular handcrafted detail. That it’s not been replaced directly by Bentley, and this was the swansong for its wonderful V8 engine is a clear signal that its maker is heading towards an electrified, more efficient, future.

Further reading

• Best cars on Parkers
• Search Bentley Mulsanne cars for sale
• Our star ratings explained