After nearly a decade as Bentley’s flagship model, the Mulsanne will soon complete its production run and pass its torch to the all-new Flying Spur. Before then, and while the factory is shut down due to the ongoing global crisis, Bentley is celebrating the unmatched skills and expertise of the master craftspeople behind the ultimate luxury sedan. Production of the Mulsanne was due to finish in April, but has now been extended so that the final cars will be handcrafted when the Bentley workforce returns to the Crewe factory after the Covid-19 crisis.
The Mulsanne is handcrafted from the ground up in Crewe, where it was also designed, engineered and developed - from initial hand sketches through to final production sign-off. Over 7,300 examples have passed through the hands of the Mulsanne Makers, each car requiring over 400 hours of supreme skill and attention to detail to craft.
The Mulsanne Makers encapsulate all that the Mulsanne represents; unrivalled dedication to engineering and producing a sector-defining sedan with the use of traditional skills and materials, culminating in the ultimate combination of luxury and performance. Here, Bentley is profiling eight of them from across the business, who together represent a snapshot of the hundreds of people that took Mulsanne from the drawing board to reality and those that will continue to handcraft the Final Series of these remarkable cars when Bentley resumes production.
The Mulsanne is handcrafted from the ground up in Crewe, where it was also designed, engineered and developed - from initial hand sketches through to final production sign-off. Over 7,300 examples have passed through the hands of the Mulsanne Makers, each car requiring over 400 hours of supreme skill and attention to detail to craft.
The Mulsanne Makers encapsulate all that the Mulsanne represents; unrivalled dedication to engineering and producing a sector-defining sedan with the use of traditional skills and materials, culminating in the ultimate combination of luxury and performance. Here, Bentley is profiling eight of them from across the business, who together represent a snapshot of the hundreds of people that took Mulsanne from the drawing board to reality and those that will continue to handcraft the Final Series of these remarkable cars when Bentley resumes production.
Crispin Marshfield - Design
Crispin is able to claim Mulsanne as one of his own. As a member of Bentley’s Exterior Design team, Crispin was responsible for what we all now recognise as the unmistakable Mulsanne shape. Crispin now continues to work on the Design Production of Bentley’s future models, seeing designs through from free-hand sketch to superformed metal.
Peter Guest - Engineering
Peter Guest was the Head of Body & Trim for the Mulsanne project, and was responsible for the engineering of the entire body structure and all of the cabin. Since completing the Mulsanne, Peter became the Product Line Director for the Bentayga - taking that project from initial conception through to delivery, before moving across to do the same role for the Continental GT and more recently the Flying Spur.
Crispin is able to claim Mulsanne as one of his own. As a member of Bentley’s Exterior Design team, Crispin was responsible for what we all now recognise as the unmistakable Mulsanne shape. Crispin now continues to work on the Design Production of Bentley’s future models, seeing designs through from free-hand sketch to superformed metal.
Peter Guest - Engineering
Peter Guest was the Head of Body & Trim for the Mulsanne project, and was responsible for the engineering of the entire body structure and all of the cabin. Since completing the Mulsanne, Peter became the Product Line Director for the Bentayga - taking that project from initial conception through to delivery, before moving across to do the same role for the Continental GT and more recently the Flying Spur.
Ian Johnson - Body in White
Ian worked within Bentley’s Body in White department as one of the company’s many craftspeople, and was responsible for the hand-finishing of Mulsanne bodies of all variants. Ian will now move on to deploy his unique skillset in Bentley’s Manufacturing Bentayga Launch team.
Rob Thompson - Paint Shop
Rob is one of Bentley’s longest standing colleagues, and will soon retire after over four decades of valued service. As a Series Planning Manager in Bentley’s Paint Shop, guiding a team of over 40 colleagues, Rob has not failed in passing on the expertise.
Ian worked within Bentley’s Body in White department as one of the company’s many craftspeople, and was responsible for the hand-finishing of Mulsanne bodies of all variants. Ian will now move on to deploy his unique skillset in Bentley’s Manufacturing Bentayga Launch team.
Rob Thompson - Paint Shop
Rob is one of Bentley’s longest standing colleagues, and will soon retire after over four decades of valued service. As a Series Planning Manager in Bentley’s Paint Shop, guiding a team of over 40 colleagues, Rob has not failed in passing on the expertise.
John Fisher - Wood Shop
John is another of Bentley’s longest standing colleagues, working his way up through the Wood Shop to now head the department. There is little John does not know about the veneers and handcrafting techniques behind Bentley’s industry-leading wood interior finishes. Beyond the Mulsanne, John leads the way for Bentley’s Wood Shop, passing on his knowledge to Apprentices beginning careers of their own in the department.
Tim Seipel - Engine
Tim has extensive experience of working on the Mulsanne’s iconic ‘L-Series’ 6.75-litre V8 engine - also utilised in the Bentley Arnage and Brooklands under his watch. Developing Cylinder Deactivation for the first product in Volkswagen Group, Tim helped pave the way for the standard set by the Mulsanne. Now managing Engine Calibration for all of Bentley’s V8 engines, Tim’s expertise will not be lost.
John is another of Bentley’s longest standing colleagues, working his way up through the Wood Shop to now head the department. There is little John does not know about the veneers and handcrafting techniques behind Bentley’s industry-leading wood interior finishes. Beyond the Mulsanne, John leads the way for Bentley’s Wood Shop, passing on his knowledge to Apprentices beginning careers of their own in the department.
Tim Seipel - Engine
Tim has extensive experience of working on the Mulsanne’s iconic ‘L-Series’ 6.75-litre V8 engine - also utilised in the Bentley Arnage and Brooklands under his watch. Developing Cylinder Deactivation for the first product in Volkswagen Group, Tim helped pave the way for the standard set by the Mulsanne. Now managing Engine Calibration for all of Bentley’s V8 engines, Tim’s expertise will not be lost.
Donna Morrey - Operations
Donna will be witness to key moments of the Mulsanne’s life cycle; both its pre-production development, and soon the assembly of the final example. Now managing the operations of the Mulsanne’s assembly processes, Donna is responsible for ensuring that all of Mulsanne’s handcrafted components are successfully drawn together as one cohesive part.
Hans Holzgartner - Marketing
Hans joined the Bentley family in 2007 as a Marketing Product Manager for Mulsanne, and admits he hasn’t been able to stop looking at the Mulsanne since. As a voice of the customer, Hans ensured that as a whole business, Bentley designed, engineered and built a Mulsanne that customers truly desired. Hans now leads key Marketing projects for new Flying Spur and future products.
Donna will be witness to key moments of the Mulsanne’s life cycle; both its pre-production development, and soon the assembly of the final example. Now managing the operations of the Mulsanne’s assembly processes, Donna is responsible for ensuring that all of Mulsanne’s handcrafted components are successfully drawn together as one cohesive part.
Hans Holzgartner - Marketing
Hans joined the Bentley family in 2007 as a Marketing Product Manager for Mulsanne, and admits he hasn’t been able to stop looking at the Mulsanne since. As a voice of the customer, Hans ensured that as a whole business, Bentley designed, engineered and built a Mulsanne that customers truly desired. Hans now leads key Marketing projects for new Flying Spur and future products.
