These are the key people behind Bentley's outgoing Mulsanne

After nearly a decade as Bentley’s flagship model, the Mulsanne’s production run is coming to an end, with the mantle now to be carried by new Flying Spur. Even as the factory is shut down due to the ongoing global pandemic, Bentley is celebrating the master craftspeople behind the outgoing flagship.

The Mulsanne is handcrafted from the ground up in Crewe, where it was also designed, engineered and developed - from initial hand sketches through to final production sign-off. Over 7,300 examples have passed through the hands of these craftspeople, each car requiring over 400 hours to create.

Below are eight of the craftspeople who represent the hundreds of people that took Mulsanne from the drawing board to reality and those that will continue to handcraft the Final Series when Bentley resumes production.

Crispin Marshfield – Design: As a member of Bentley’s Exterior Design team, Crispin was responsible for the distinctive Mulsanne shape. Crispin now continues to work on the Design Production of Bentley’s future models, seeing designs through from free-hand sketch to superformed metal.

Peter Guest – Engineering: Peter Guest was the Head of Body & Trim for the Mulsanne project, and was responsible for the engineering of the entire body structure and all of the cabin. Since completing the Mulsanne, Peter became the Product Line Director for the Bentayga – taking that project from initial conception through to delivery, before moving across to do the same role for the Continental GT and more recently the Flying Spur.

Ian Johnson – Body in White: Ian worked within Bentley’s Body in White department as one of the company’s many craftspeople, and was responsible for the hand-finishing of Mulsanne bodies of all variants. Ian will now move on to Bentley’s Manufacturing Bentayga Launch team.

Rob Thompson – Paint Shop: Rob is one of Bentley’s longest standing employees, and will soon retire after over four decades of service. As a Series Planning Manager in Bentley’s Paint Shop, Rob guides a team of over 40. “This is my 40th year at Bentley, and to have been part of the Mulsanne story from start to finish is of great personal pride. I have taken responsibility for every Mulsanne body that has passed through our Paint Shop since 2009,” says Rob.

John Fisher – Wood Shop: John is another of Bentley’s long-serving employees, working his way up through the Wood Shop, to now head the department. He is obviously an expert in the veneers and handcrafting techniques behind Bentley’s wood interior finishes. Beyond Mulsanne, John leads the way for Bentley’s Wood Shop, passing on his knowledge to Apprentices beginning careers of their own in the department.

Tim Seipel – Engine: Tim has extensive experience of working on the Mulsanne’s iconic ‘L-Series’ 6.75-litre V8 engine – also used in the Bentley Arnage and Brooklands under his watch. Developing Cylinder Deactivation for the first product in Volkswagen Group, Tim helped pave the way for many innovations. He now manages Engine Calibration for all of Bentley’s V8 engines.

Donna Morrey – Operations: Donna has witnessed key moments of the Mulsanne’s life cycle; its pre-production development, and she will also soon witness the assembly of the final example. Now managing the operations of the Mulsanne’s assembly processes, Donna is responsible for ensuring that all of Mulsanne’s handcrafted components are successfully drawn together as one cohesive part.

Hans Holzgartner – Marketing: Hans joined Bentley in 2007 as a Marketing Product Manager for Mulsanne, and admits he hasn’t been able to stop looking at the Mulsanne since. As a voice of the customer, Hans ensured that as a whole business, Bentley designed, engineered and built a Mulsanne the way customers desired. Hans now leads key Marketing projects for new Flying Spur and future products.