1985Bentley Mulsanne

A square-cut, broad-shouldered design, the Bentley Mulsanne was styled in-house by Austrian born Fritz Feller. Introduced at the 1980 Paris Motor Show, it enjoyed notably greater road presence than its T2 predecessor as well as a thirty percent larger glass area. Thus, while it looked suitably imposing from the outside, internally it proved pleasantly airy. Although, based on the T2 floorpan, the Mulsanne offered considerable improvements in both ride and handling thanks to its new Girling automatic ride height control and gas shock absorbers. By combining copious amounts of sound deadening with the finest quality upholstery, Crewe's engineers kept intrusion from the 6.75 litre V8 engine and three-speed automatic transmission to a muted hush (unless the model's reputed 120mph potential was explored). Driver inputs were minimised with power assisted steering and disc brakes. Only in production between 1980 and 1987 (by which time it had gained Bosch fuel injection), just 482 Bentley Mulsanne Saloons are thought to have been made. Finished in Royal Blue with magnolia leather upholstery (piped in blue), this particular left-hand drive example is said to have formed part of the Amir of Qatar's household fleet. Apparently used for ferrying members of his family as well as other honoured guests, the Bentley is understood to have been armoured against gunfire and other threats by a firm in Germany. Indeed, the vendor estimates that the cost of installing the extra protection measures (which include an oxygen system) would equate to something like ú400,000 today. To the interior, the leather headlining is offset by dark blue carpets, rich walnut veneers and picnic tables. While, the electric windows / seats / mirrors are complimented by air conditioning (complete with climate control). Riding on steel wheels and sporting a blue everflex roof, the Mulsanne is stated to have covered less than 24,000 kilometres from new (circa 15,000 miles). Aside from some delamination to four of the windows, the vendor considers the Bentley to be in "very good overall" condition. Recently taken off its diplomatic plates and now UK road registered as 'K207 RGP', this imposing Bentley is offered for sale with MOT certificate valid until October 2009.