The British carmaker has yet to decide exactly how to evolve its flagship Mulsanne model in future iterations. Despite originally going on sale in 2010, the Mulsanne’s production run is not due to finish until the early 2020s.

However, by then the luxury market will be inhabited by a greater number of electric models and new challengers (Aston Martin’s reborn Lagonda brand among them) that promise to shake up the segment and attract a younger audience.

Our sister publication, Autocar UK, understands that the Mulsanne’s future is up for debate – specifically as to whether there will be a like-for-like replacement for a car that has always been in the shadow of the Rolls-Royce Phantom.

One option could be to go down the Lagonda route and reinvent the Mulsanne as a pure electric car, creating a very modern and forward-looking flagship for the brand. The luxury carmaker may not be very keen on pure electric versions of SUVs, at the moment; but a large sedan could hold appeal – especially if its launch date coincides with the arrival of next-generation battery technology.