BENTLEY Mulsanne 2009-2016 Photos, engines & full specs

It was the first completely new Bentley designed from the ground up by the British automaker in more than eight decades, and it didn't share its underpinnings with Rolls-Royce anymore.

After Volkswagen purchased Bentley, it had to use Rolls-Royce's platforms for a while. But the new owner knew that a new model would have to be born and compete with its former ally. Thus, the engineers took their time, and the result was not only a luxurious vehicle but a very fast one as well.

At the front, what looked like a chromed mesh grille was, in fact, a stainless steel one polished to the same level a perfectly chromed part would look. The same principle was applied to the B-winged badge on the hood. Mulsanne's headlights were round, evoking the older Bentley models, and complemented by side lamps. From its profile, the massive British luxury car showed a waved shape for the beltline, resembling a 1950 Bentley. Finally, at the back, the sloped rear windscreen was continued by a trunk lid that was slightly taller than the rear quarter panels.

As a luxury vehicle, the Mulsanne provided all the comfort and amenities of this famous British brand. There were silver trims around the dials on the instrument cluster and discretely embedded high-tech features such as automatic climate control and a sat-nav system. Bentley used only high-end materials, including expensive leather and real wood trims.

Under the hood, Volkswagen installed the same 6.75-liter V8 engine shared with Rolls-Royce, albeit turbocharged, and paired it with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.