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Touring Northwest Connecticut in the 2016 Bentley Mulsanne Speed

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Photos Credit: Michael Crenshaw

Everything from the outside world is shut out—implying the sense of space and tranquility—inside the new, handcrafted Bentley Mulsanne Speed as my wife and I gracefully float onwards toward the bucolic scenery of Northwest Connecticut. The Mayflower Grace would serve as our destination for the drive; a place we would come to find that matches the Bentley’s sense of old-world luxury, modern amenities, and delivery of a top-notch experience.

The Mulsanne Speed is a magic carpet on steroids. Actually, it’s better than a magic carpet. Even though the beautifully manicured roads offer respite from New York City’s mess of cobbled infrastructure, this Bentley soaks up absolutely everything, yet still maintains a feeling of connectedness to the tarmac below; particularly in the Speed variant.

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Upon full-throttle the Speed lists like a boat, shooting the Bentley hood ornament into the sky as if cresting over a wave: Its physical size, and the way speed actually increases give you the impression of cruising on a yacht. However, you’re doing 100 mph before you know it and the sensation of speed won’t falter until you’re reaching its top speed of 190. Take note: adaptive cruise control is your friend on the highway and saving grace for fewer encounters with "The Law."

Connecticut is dotted with farms, covered bridges, and quaint towns, boutique stores, high-end farm-to-table restaurants, and coffee shops. With the Mayflower Grace’s classic New England charm, which has hosted dignitaries, presidents, and royals, it is the seclusion of the property, intertwined in this blossoming area of the country that befits the feeling of luxury, and the perfect place to escape normality. The Bentley assimilates perfectly as the surreal envelopment of nature surrounds you: birds sing across the property, wind rustles the trees, and calmness sets the mood.

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Isolation in the Mulsanne Speed delivers a vacuum of space around you with double-pane glass, thick deep pile Wilton wool carpet eliminating sounds from the road below, specialized tires that reduce the decibel level on the inside, and an impactful $28,760 optional ‘Entertainment’ specification that encapsulates you in a world of your own. This optional package includes a Naim for Bentley audio system that transforms the Mulsanne into a full-blown concert venue that could give the Hollywood Bowl a run for its money. With over 400 man-hours of tuning, 20 speakers, and 2,200-watts of power, the Naim system was so lucid that my mind buzzed afterwards.

Michael Crenshaw

Michael Crenshaw lives in New Jersey with his wife and Shiba Inu Mia. When he's not remodeling his home, Michael contributes to Hypebeast, Scout, Instamotor and other publications mainly focusing on the automobile segment. Michael graduated from Quinnipiac University with a degree in broadcast journalism and out of college he worked with two leading national automotive publications in NYC where he...(Read More)

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