Meet The People Building The Bentley Mulsanne As The Curtain Comes Down

Bentley is about to pull the plug on the Mulsanne, the company’s flagship model for nearly a decade, which sounds like the perfect time to celebrate the skills and expertise of the people behind it.

The Bentley Mulsanne is handcrafted from the ground up, with each car requiring over 400 hours to be completed. It’s also the last Bentley driving only its rear wheels, as well as the last car to use the company’s 6.75-liter V8 engine.

The final examples of the Bentley Mulsanne will be produced once the Crewe factory resumes operations following the COVID-19 epidemic.

Read More: Bentley Mulsanne 6.75 Edition By Mulliner Bids Farewell To The Series And Iconic V8

“For me the Mulsanne will always be one of the projects that I am most proud of,” said Crispin Marshfield, responsible for the exterior design of the Mulsanne. “Over time the Mulsanne has become recognised as a modern icon, quite unlike anything else on the road.”

Peter Guest was the Head of Body & Trim for the Mulsanne, and the man responsible for engineering the body structure and the cabin of the Bentley flagship model.

“The Mulsanne was extremely ambitious in its engineering – with an all-new body structure, electrical architecture and interior and exterior designs, together with a heavily re-engineered chassis and engine,” Guest said. “The body, for example, has a massive hand-brazed seam across the D-pillar – it was the best way to create a “hewn from solid” appearance.”

“The interior was all-new and extremely complex, featuring several hundred pieces of leather trim and a perfectly aligned “ring of wood” that encircled the cabin,” adds Guest. “Again, we had to work with the craftspeople in the factory to ensure what we engineered could be made in production. It was a massive challenge, but we delivered – and the car still looks phenomenal today.”

Ian Johnson was responsible for the hand-finishing of Mulsanne bodies before they were sent to the paint shop. “I’ve spent more than eight years of my career at Bentley crafting Mulsanne bodies for customers across the world. During this time I learnt and developed traditional skills of metal finishing and panel beating techniques, using a range of hand tools and files, ensuring each body meets the highest of standards.”

“The Mulsanne for me is the perfect combination of our Bentley heritage and our transition into the modern volume age,” said Rob Thompson, Head of Bentley’s Paint Shop. “Some of the bespoke colours we have crafted for Mulsanne have been truly spectacular, especially the bespoke satin finishes and a stunning metallic we created called Liquid Mercury.”

John Fisher is head of Bentley’s Wood Shop, and has worked on the Mulsanne since its launch. “A personal highlight for me is working with the many customers who visit the factory to spec their cars,” he said. “They are mesmerized by the detail, complexity and hand craftsmanship which makes every car unique.”

Tim Seipel has worked on the 6.75-liter V8 engine, developing the cylinder deactivation system for the unit -a first for the VW Group- and is now managing Engine Calibration for the brand’s V8 engines. “The engine is a true icon, with the ‘L-Series’ first put into production back in 1959. I’ve been part of a team that has developed and refined it over many years, and it will be truly missed,” Seipel adds.

Donna Morrey is the manager of the Mulsanne’s assembly process, ensuring the highest of quality standards for the brand’s flagship. “There is no doubt in my mind that Bentley achieved the ultimate in luxury with each and every Mulsanne it has produced.”

Hans Holzgartner joined Bentley in 2007 as Marketing Product Manager for the Mulsanne. “As a Product Manager you are able to introduce materials, crafts and features that other car makers couldn’t even dream of, such as solid stainless steel brightware that is hand-polished for ten hours, to name but one.”

“Mulsanne is a snapshot, a moment in time that won’t ever come again. It’s the end of an era and the last of its kind. For me, it marks the culmination of our first 100 years work and everything we’ve learned during that time. Now we’re very much into a new chapter.”