IN THE LATE 1920’S W.O. BENTLEY, the engineer who founded Bentley Motors, yearned to create a car at the pinnacle of motoring. He envisioned something large, fast and refined but most notably comfortable. The realization of his dream was the 1930 Bentley 8-litre, a motorcar capable of reaching more than 100 mph – a feat nearly unheard of in its day. It demonstrated W.O. Bentley’s ambition and ability to build a grand luxury car capable of surpassing every leading manufacturer of the day.

Nearly 80 years later, this philosophy still resonates deeply at the company bearing W.O.’s name and has, over time, created a legacy that exemplifies many qualities – from record-breaking feats and daring exploits to a host of exquisitely handcrafted and beautifully engineered cars.

Now, as Bentley celebrates its 90th year in business, the all-new flagship Bentley Mulsanne is the very embodiment of W.O. Bentley’s passion. Introduced to the world during the 59th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Monterey, California, the Mulsanne is a thoroughly modern statement of luxury driving and grand touring. Conceived, styled and engineered entirely at Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe, England, the Mulsanne, with its completely new platform, goes into production next year in a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility within the Crewe factory.

"The challenge we set our engineers was to create a grand new Bentley that would stand as the pinnacle of British luxury motoring, offering the world’s most exclusive driving experience," says Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors.

"Our team have responded to this challenge with real passion, and the result is a luxury grand tourer that sets new standards in terms of comfort, effortless performance and handcrafted refinement – the very qualities for which Bentley is renowned."

The return of the Mulsanne name to a car carrying Bentley’s iconic ‘Winged B’ emblem underlines the company’s racing pedigree and nowhere reflects that heritage better than the famed Le Mans circuit, the scene of no fewer than six Bentley triumphs. Few places offer a stronger or more emotive connection with the Bentley marque than the famed Mulsanne corner.

The Bentley design team, lead by Dirk Van Braeckel, have created a flagship that offers the classic sporting, styling cues long-associated with Bentley – expressed in a thoroughly contemporary way. "From the very first hand sketches in the styling studio, we were inspired by the traditions of the grand touring Bentleys and have sought to evolve this story for a new generation of Bentley enthusiasts," says Van Braeckel, Director of Design for Bentley Motors.

The Bentley 8-litre displayed alongside the Mulsanne during the car’s worldwide debut in California was first shown at the 1930 London Motor Show. It was the second built and was W.O. Bentley’s company car for two years. Capable of reaching more than 100 mph, the 8-litre demonstrated W.O. Bentley’s ambition and ability to build a grand luxury car capable of surpassing every other leading manufacturer of the day. A total of 100 cars were built in 1930 and 1931.

"The 8-litre’s breathtaking performance and quality was perhaps the finest example of a ‘pure’ grand Bentley," says Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn, Member of the Board Engineering for Bentley Motors. "Every mechanical detail carried W.O. Bentley’s unique stamp and it was the clearest demonstration of a car built without compromise. We have designed the Mulsanne with exactly the same guiding principles, so it is entirely fitting that these Bentleys from different eras shared the same stage during the worldwide debut at Pebble Beach."

The Mulsanne will go on sale from mid-2010 and Bentley retailers are presently taking orders for personally commissioned examples. Additional information can be found at www.bentleymotors.com or www.bentleymulsanne.com