A car planned to be “most elegant and sophisticated” convertible in the world, the Bentley Mulsanne convertible, will not be produced.
In an interview with Car and Driver at last week’s Frankfurt motor show, Bentley CEO Wolfgang Schreiber confirmed that the production version of a concept first shown to a private audience at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, has been cancelled over lack of demand.
“We will not do that car,” Schreiber said.
“The demand for a Mulsanne Convertible is just regional. So if it would come, it would be very successful in the US and maybe some other regions in Europe, but I think that will not be enough demand for a good business case.”
The report also points out that Bentley sold just 1169 Mulsannes last year and to invest more money into developing a convertible model that will arguably sell less than the coupe doesn’t make a lot of sense.
While the drop-top Mulsanne may not be going ahead, the British luxury car maker is developing an SUV that it promises “will be the world’s most expensive and luxurious SUV”.
The Falcon, as it is expected to be called, is to be powered by a 12-cylinder engine developing up to 485kW – considerably more than the top-shelf 375kW supercharged 5.0-litre V8 Range Rover – and match the Range Rover for off-road capability.
