Bentley considers low-volume, Mulsanne-based sedan

KRUN, Germany -- Bentley is exploring the possibility of offering a low-volume sedan based on the Mulsanne that would be positioned above it in the lineup -- a model separate from the Mulsanne convertible that has been rumored for years.

The derivative wouldn't share the Mulsanne name and would be built in small numbers, 50 to 100 units total, Rolf Frech, Bentley's board member for engineering, told Automotive News Europe sister publication Automotive News at a press launch for the revised Mulsanne.

"That doesn't mean we then have to make a bigger car than the Mulsanne," Frech said. "But maybe there are some possibilities for additional edges in this exclusive realm."

Bentley also is giving the other end of its lineup some attention.

It is close to a decision on whether to bring the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept to production. The two-door sports coupe would serve as a gateway to the Bentley brand and give buyers more of a performance edge than the larger and more expensive models Continental can offer.

Frech says producing the Speed 6 is a matter not of if but when; there's vast enthusiasm for the model among customers and the media and at Bentley.