Bentley has revealed first pictures of its new range-topping saloon, which it has dubbed the Mulsanne. The car, which had its first public showing at the Pebble Beach Concours, will go head-to-head with the Rolls-Royce Phantom on the marketplace. The company is keen to emphasise its links with past models.

The Mulsanne will make its European debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where details about the specification will be released. It will go on sale in 2010, be built in Britain and the price is expected to top £300,000.

The car is new from the ground up, its fresh platform and engine are said to be unique within VAG, and it's certainly a much larger car than the Continental models which did so much to re-establish Bentley during the early 2000s.