For us here at DCB Towers the Bentley Mulsanne has always had a bit of the “bling” factor about it. Define bling;commonly associated term used to define the rap community which denotes expensive, ostentatious clothing or jewelry, or the style or materialistic attitudes associated with them: the bling lifestyle of diamond rings, flashy cars and gold teeth.
Although Bentley don’t want to admit to this bling bias they use a little known historical episode in their 96 year old history to create the bling of bling Mulsanne’s or to give its full corporate name the Bentley Mulsanne Speed ‘Blue Train’ by Mulliner.
So why this ‘Blue Train’ moniker? the latter was an unofficial race in 1930, a wager under taken by the then Chairman of Bentley (who wasn’t a rapper) to see if he could beat the Calais-Mediterranée Express or ‘Blue Train’ back to Calais.
The chairman would only win the bet if he could make it back to his club in London before the train even reached the English Channel. Jolly good fun back in the day, what.
The Chairman won the bet and the 2015 Mulsanne Blue Train by Mulliner is a narcissistic limited edition to commemorate this in house corporate victory / high society bet.
Mulliner Edition Bentley’s are “rare by design” its kind of like Bentley’s version of AMG or BMW’s M Sport brands but it doesn’t focus on the power, its all to do with adding another layer of luxury on top of luxury.
For example the dashboard facia features an expertly crafted veneer image of the original Bentley ‘Blue Train’ Speed Six. The treadplate plaques bear the wording ‘Blue Train 85 Years’ and the front grille features a square mesh design inspired by original Speed Six.
The first ‘Blue Train’ Limited Edition delivered will also feature a personalised hamper, trimmed with Burnt Oak and Camel hide to perfectly match the interior of the car. Mulliner has crafted beautiful leather cutlery holders and a leather rug wrap-around, both featuring ‘Blue Train’ embroidery. The hamper contains exclusive Robbe & Berking silver plated cutlery, Haviland Limoges porcelain crockery, LINLEY crystal champagne flutes and a 100 percent Angora picnic rug, woven in Scotland.
The ‘Blue Train’ is powered by an unmodified 6.3-liter twin-turbocharged, 530bhp V8 engine that produces an inexhaustible amount of 1,100Nm of torque. The eight-speed automatic transmission, enables the Mulsanne to cover to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.
Only four Mulsanne Blue Train’s by Mulliner will be made and they have already found new homes. Cost? As Honest John says, if you need to ask about the price you probably can’t afford it. Oh such wisdom.