The current Bentley Mulsanne has remained next to unchanged for the last eight years (apart from various special editions). But, you'll be hard pressed to find many owners willing to complain about the fact.
That's because the luxury machine isn't built to be 'cutting edge' — it's built for comfort and ultimate rear-seat opulence.
But, Bentley are at a crossroads. They've already shaken up their line-up with the addition of the Bentayga SUV — a stark contrast to the rest of their range, and a clear attempt to join the protifable segment. They've also shown signs of embracing electric technology, via their EXP 12 Speed 6e Concept convertible (name just rolls off the tongue...) that they revealed last year.
Hopes of the manufacturer adopting the tech in one of their production cars might come around sooner rather than later, according to a new report from Autocar UK.
The publication have uncovered that the Mulsanne's future is up in the air — the manufacturer uncertain of whether they'll simply replace the aging platform with a similar ICE-based car, or if they'll go electric and reinvent the model to keep up with the likes of Aston Martin's rather insane looking Lagonda Vision concept.
A March 2018 interview with Auto Express involving Bentley lead designer Stefan Sielaff appears to corroberate the electric theory.
"A full electric Bentley is something I am extremely convinced we have to do," Sielaff said at the time. "It will happen not so far in the future."
That sounds like an admission to me.
While electric cars are lauded for their world-healing cleanliness and instant 'ludicrous' torque, they also fit the luxury segment perfectly thanks to how most EVs operate almost completely silently. NVH is a big factor for these buyers; standing alongside how many bottles of champagne can fit in the fridge and how shag-pile the carpet is.
For now, Bentley are yet to confirm anything. They're perhaps a bit busy getting the new Continental GT launched around the world.