2011 Bentley Mulsanne vs. 2011 Rolls Royce Ghost

We know the first thing that came to your mind when Bentley released the Mulsanne last year was how does this compare to Rolls-Royce all new Ghost? Glad you asked, and lucky for you we have compared the cars side-by-side,or I should say top to bottom, for your reading ease and pleasure.

2011 Bentley Mulsanne

• A remarkable 6 ¾-liter, 90-degree V8 engine, an all-new 505bhp engineering marvel that generates 1020Nm of torque. All the major building blocks of the engine are new and have been designed to optimize performance. They also contribute towards meeting three key objectives: maximizing torque, refinement and efficiency.

• All-new eight-speed automatic transmission with quick-shift.
• The entire body is sculpted to create rich design contrasts. It appears to be solid, as if sculpted from a single block, yet simultaneously graceful and elegant. Solid yet sleek. Classic yet modern. The design is made to accommodate customized materials, not to reduce their usage. For example, the hand brazing of different thicknesses of steel is required to create that exclusive, seamless, flush-fit feeling. Imagine, for example, that it takes a full 45 minutes to braze one lengthy section of metal behind the rear doors.

• That authentic Bentley feel of the new Mulsanne is created through the skills of our craftspeople in Crewe. We use the highest quality wood veneers, leather hides and solid stainless steel brightware, yet we start where others stop. Wriggle your feet into the deeper pile carpets, which we specially created to offer an unparalleled level of comfort. To bring out a richer leather smell, we reverted to a traditional tanning process. We are still even using ancient cabinet-making techniques—our cross-banding is still cut by hand and we are the only car maker to use ‘mirror matching’ when applying veneer.

• Music enthusiasts looking for the ultimate in-car audio, however, will opt for our exclusive Naim® for Bentley premium audio system. This renowned British company has collaborated with Bentley to create sound systems that are like a “mobile concert hall,” as one journalist described. Featuring 20 channels, allowing individual control of the 20 custom-made speakers, with eight distinctive DSP modes and an Active Audio Enhancement function, it can fill the interior with up to 2200 watts of rich sound.

• All the Mulsanne’s infotainment systems are controlled via a high-resolution 8” screen that is completely concealed behind a beautifully veneered panel when not in use. There is even a unique, leather-lined storage draw designed specifically for holding your iPod®.

2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost

• Powered by a new twin turbo 6.6-liter V12 engine, it is virtually silent, with 80% of its torque available from idle.
• 8-speed ZF gearbox it accelerates from 0-62 mph in just 4.9 seconds and has a governed top-speed of 155 mph.

• Each interior requires nine hides from the same batch, which are carefully prepared to ensure consistency of color throughout. Every millimeter of soft full-grain leather in your Ghost is inspected by eye to make sure there are no imperfections.

• During the day the Night Vision System remains out of sight behind a veneered panel. As darkness falls a discreet infrared camera in the grille can detect the body heat of pedestrians up to 300 meters away.

• The Head Up Display projects driving-related information directly on to the windscreen in front of you, allowing you to concentrate on the road ahead.

• Designed for use on A roads and motorways, Active Cruise Control makes driving in heavy traffic less tiring. You can set it to maintain a predefined time gap from the car in front, reducing speed to a complete halt if necessary.