Bentley's successor to the Mulsanne is due early next decade, and according to Autocar the automaker is yet to decide on what route its new flagship will take.

A direct replacement such as a large sedan with traditional styling and a powerful internal combustion engine is one possibility.

An alternative is introducing an electric car with avant-garde styling to appeal to a new generation of highly mobile, tech-savvy ultra-luxury buyers, a bit like what Aston Martin is doing with its revival plans for Lagonda.

Going the electric route makes sense considering smooth, virtually silent propulsion electric motors can provide, and by the time the Mulsanne successor is due battery technology should be at the point where range is no longer an issue.

The launch of an electric car as Bentley's flagship would also fit with the automaker's transition toward electrification. Bentley has just launched its first hybrid in the form of the Bentayga Hybrid and plans to add the vehicle's plug-in hybrid powertrain into more models. Bentley is also working on an electric car. It will be a new model line likely in the form of a coupe-like sedan.