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Can we get a tow package? Bentley’s Mulsanne Speed will boast tire-rending torque

2016 bentley mulsanne speed rumored for paris motor show kickplate
Image used with permission by copyright holder
If you thought the 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat had a lot of power going to the rear wheels, Bentley is about to blow your mind.

Digital Trends has learned from a Bentley insider that the bespoke British brand is in fact planning to unveil a range-topping 2016 Mulsanne Speed at the Paris Motor Show in October.

So what will the “Speed” badge bring with it? The Mulsanne Speed will likely boast an uprated version of the Mulsanne’s 6.75-liter V8, which in “standard” form makes 505 horsepower and 752 pound-feet.

Bentley Mulsane
Bentley Mulsane Image used with permission by copyright holder

Related: 2015 Bentley Continental GT Speed first drive

Using our Bentley maths (Brit-speak for math), we calculate the tuned V8 could make as much as 570 horsepower, while torque will likely peak 1,100 newton meters (811 pound-feet). If our figures are right, the Mulsanne Speed will be one of the most torque-ridden production motors on the planet.

Imagine; the Mulsanne Speed will have nearly as much torque as the Ram 2500 diesel or the Koenigsegg Agera R.

All of this power will be sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic. The normal Mulsanne can master 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds. The Mulsanne Speed? We suspect it’ll push into the upper 3-second range.

If you’re keeping track at home, it’s not horsepower that tears up tires off the line; it’s torque. Horsepower is what the engine uses to hit its top speed. So it looks like the one-percent will soon be able to burn rubber even more effectively than the Hellcats.

Nick Jaynes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…
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