Bentley Motors is planning to launch its new flagship model Mulsanne in India by 2011. The company has not revealed a confirmed launch date of the model but the production of the new model will start in the UK next year. The car will be imported as CBU (Completely Built Unit) and will attract 100 percent import duty. The car will be powered by a 6.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, which produces 512 horsepower and 1,020Nm of torque and will cost around Rs 1.5 crore in the UK when it finally hits the market. Thus, when the car finally arrives in India it will carry a price tag of nearly Rs. 3- 3.5 crores.
The super luxury Bentley Mulsanne will be completely handcrafted according to the customers’ wishes and will go on sale in the US and Europe by mid-2010.
Bentley models have been faring quite well in the Indian market, also as its nearest competitor Rolls Royce models were available with much higher price tag of Rs. 3.9 crore – 4.1 crore. Now Rolls Royce has launched a cheaper model Ghost priced in the lower price band. It remains to be seen how it actually affects Bentley Continental sales in India.