Overall rating:

Not an obvious choice in the Bentley range for some on-track action, but we were offered Anglesey race circuit and a Mulsanne for a few hot laps and who are we to argue?

Key Facts

Model tested: Bentley Mulsanne
Pricing: £225,900
Engine: 6.75-litre turbocharged petrol V8
Transmission: rear-wheel drive, eight-speed automatic
Body style: four-door saloon
Rivals: Rolls-Royce Phantom
CO₂ emissions: 393g/km
Combined economy: 16.7mpg
Top speed: 184mph
0-62mph: 5.3 seconds
Power: 512hp at 4,200rpm
Torque: 1,018Nm at 1,750rpm

In the Metal:

Unlikely - except perhaps in Beverly Hills - to be a regular sight, the initial shock of the Mulsanne has softened following its introduction. It's a big, imposing saloon, but even so it's not quite as obvious as its key Rolls-Royce Phantom competitor - so long as you don't go crazy with the chrome options and bespoke paint.

It's best in profile, the feature-line atop of the rear wings particularly elegant, the Mulsanne hiding its bulk fairly effectively. You'll appreciate that size inside, as the cabin is hugely accommodating - and sumptuously appointed. Whether you're in the front or back there's little to touch it for comfort, even if the seats don't offer much in the way of lateral support.

Driving it:

That lateral support wouldn't usually matter in the armchair-like comfort of the seats inside, but this Mulsanne test drive is a little bit different. Now a track isn't really the environment for a car that tips the scales comfortably in excess of two and a half tonnes, but Bentley offered, and who were we to say no? Not just a wide, flat track either, but the twisty, undulating ribbon of tarmac that is Anglesey in Wales. The noise of the 6.75-litre V8 makes a fine soundtrack for Anglesey's beautiful backdrop, only the odd passing fighter jet from the nearby RAF base drowning it out. That's when the engine can be heard over the tortured tyres, as the Mulsanne's rubber was tested to the maximum on the track.

In standard guise here rather than the soon-to-be-introduced Mulliner Driving specification with revised suspension settings and stiffer anti-roll bars, the Mulsanne's bulk is more pronounced on track. Higher cornering speeds have it rolling around at more comical angles than you'd ever be likely to experience on the road, though given its size and weight it does hang on fairly gamely. There's understeer in the faster bends, and should you feel brave enough the big saloon will wag its tail - if you switch off the traction and stability systems. That's pretty unbecoming, though, and will cost a bit in tyres.

The steering is light on feel and weighting and while the Mulsanne is ultimately out of its depth on track it's certainly not slow. The Mulsanne's engine is mighty; with over 1,000Nm of torque even 2.5 tonnes of indulgent opulence is not a hindrance to the laws of physics. It denies its mass with a startling 5.3-second 0-62mph time, and will punch a hole in the air all the way up to 184mph. Amusingly, surprisingly, yet quietly rapid, just as you'd expect, though use all that performance too much and you'll start asking questions when decelerating that the brakes give up answering.

What you get for your Money:

Looked at with anything approaching a rational head it's absolutely impossible to justify spending over a quarter of a million pounds on a car. It's easier to qualify if you visit the factory and see the love, attention and level of skill lavished on every one built by the 4,000 staff at Bentley's Crewe production line.

Worth Noting

Just as the sticker price is other-worldly, so too are the options. It's unlikely many will leave the factory for less than £300,000 once individually specified, things like a fridge between the rear seats - for champagne, naturally - cost £7,500, and if you ask for a unique paint colour you're looking at £25,000. Yes, really. Still, the factory is busy, with Bentley producing around 26 Mulsannes a week.

Summary

The Mulsanne's natural environment obviously isn't on a track. However, it's not an exercise in futility, the Mulsanne's surprising pace and reasonable ability giving some credence to Bentley's oft-quoted fact that owners like to drive their own cars. Honestly though, it's nicer in the back; and if you want a Bentley for the track there's always the GT Speed, or if you want something a bit more serious - if less luxurious - then Bentley is selling a Speed 8 at RM Auctions at Pebble Beach.