Bentley Arnage Series Two 2003 Review

The last time I was surrounded by this much leather and exquisitely finished timber was at the helm of a Princess 62 Motoryacht. Sitting at the very top of the luxury boat building game, the Plymouth (UK) based company is easily compared with one of the best in the automotive world.

In terms of build quality it's right at the pointy end. In terms of performance, few other makers can match Princess' boats seakeeping and mile-eating abilities. The fact that the boats are palacially equipped and drop dead gorgeous is almost a bonus.

Thus it seemed reasonable to me to labour the comparison (ie replete with wood and leather) as a way of introducing another true Brit, the Bentley Arnage Series Two.

Vehicles of true motoryacht-style proportions -- especially in long wheelbase RL guise -- the Arnage Series Two range is the backbone of Bentley's model line-up. It replaces the Arnage Red Label series that was introduced in 1998, at a time when BMW and Volkswagen argued over their respective rights to the combined Rolls Royce and Bentley empire.

That corporate contretemps is now well settled, and thanks to a Volkswagen Group $A1.5 billion investment program, it's full steam ahead for Bentley.

At Bentley's home in Crewe (UK) the investment has meant a substantial recruitment drive, new engine and body production lines, new design and R&D teams, and much more. The most visible result of this reinvigoration is the upcoming Continental GT super coupe. With thousands of worldwide for the $380K 411kW four-wheel drive, the GT is a runaway success before it turns a wheel in anger.

For the Arnage range, the expertise and dollars mean substantial updates in all areas -- chassis, suspension, drivetrain and accommodation have all been reworked.

All three Arnage Series Two models were on hand for the Australian launch of the range. Indeed, in a world first, local media were able to ride in the sumptuous long-wheelbase RL limo, drive the stately but spritely $499,950 R and punt the "nutter in a three-piece suit" T. Arguable the most expensive convoy to hit Aussie roads in some time.

No prizes for guessing which model CarPoint chose to spend the most time in? Well, there's something very addictive about a car from a marque of note with more than a dollop of attitude!

At the heart of the T (just $50 change from a cool $550,000) is a revitalized version of the venerable 6.75-litre V8 that once powered all Rolls Royce and Bentley automobiles. Now sporting twin turbos in lieu of single snail, the T's bent-eight shares only a handful of parts with the outgoing Red Label. Also powering the R and RL, the engine is more than 80 per cent new or re-engineered.

The net result is not only a more powerful engine, especially in T guise, but a more responsive delivery to boot.

Refined? Well, surprisingly, the powerplant is not as smooth as the like of Lexus or Benz's best eights. Rather, there's a degree of gruffness and tactility to the Bentley mill that Anglophiles will label "character". From the cabin there's certainly no doubting the V8 under the long sculptured bonnet.

If delivery in the 300kW R guise is spirited, then it's close to abrupt in the harder edged T. The most powerful Bentley ever produced, the 336kW T builds boost literally from idle and save for Bentley's Bosch-developed ESP stability/traction control, the low speed urge of the powerplant could easily catch a driver unawares even on good tarmac.

By the same token, it's the T's huge ground swell of torque (875Nm at 3250rpm) that soon has a keen driver grinning from ear to ear. Bentley claims 0-98km/h times of 5.5 and 5.8sec respectively for the T and R -- amazing numbers given the 2585kg kerb weight of the behemoths.

Amazing too is the braking performance of the cars. The Aussie drive program included an acceleration exercise at Melbourne's Calder Park, but the cars barely raised a sweat. Pulling the T up at the end of the main straight from around the 180km/h was effortless. And as my drive was after a half dozen or so runs there's every indication the stoppers are more than up to the 260km/h-plus top speeds of the standard wheelbase cars.

With pricetags of architectural proportions, the level of equipment and finish the Arnages spectacular, and a given. All (and I mean all) the mod cons and safety gizmos are on hand, acres of the finest hide is features and all is presented in a manner that is befitting a Bentley. No I-Drive uglies here.

There's the odd idiosyncrasy that adds to the effect (loved the start button low on the centre console on the T) and the finishes range from the stately timber et al in the R and RL to knurled aluminium and carbon-fibre style highlight panels on the Ts.

In light hues the T's diagonally cross hatched seat panels are a little over the top, however, the effect was tres chic on the car present that had a deep charcoal (or was that black) interior. In all versions there's an unashamed British-ness about the interiors. They look just as a Bentley should and thus there's no chance of mistaking the car for one of its Teutonic foe, nor cousins.

Of course, if the standard car doesn't deliver exactly what you want you can always have the company's bespoke division, Bentley Mulliner, tweak your Arnage. Packages start from around high four figures, and run through to the equivalent GDP of a small eastern European nation. For example, the RL on hand at the Australian launch featured around $150,000 worth of Mullliner improvements within its $810,000 pricetag.

As noted above, we spent most of our short time with the Arnages onboard the "enfant terrible" T. And what a rippin' time it was. Squeeze the throttle at all seriously and the syrupy autobox and megoladon of an engine conspire to made rapid progress assured and instant. And not just on the superslab either. Thanks to bespoke suspension settings (stiffer springing, revised dampers and a new anti-roll bar) the T goes around corners with more poise and verve than it has any right to.

It's a lot of fun, and cliched though it may be, the T does drive as a much more compact car than its 5400mm length would suggest. It's no M5 or E55, but I'd wager its much more wieldy and tactile a tool than any other mega-luxo out there today.

Over 20 Red Label Arnages found their way to Aussie owners last year -- that compares to just a brace of Rolls Royces in the same period says Bentley. Along with news that there are in excess of 120 orders locally for the Continental GT, it seems Australia has taken a liking for the fabulous Bentley Boys' work. Thus despite breathtaking admission prices, a market for the new Arnage T seems likely guaranteed.

So who will be buying the Arnage T? The obvious answer is the well-heeled. What is changing is the age profile -- according to Bentley's Asia pacific marketing man, Julian Jenkins, the key pointer is that purchasers are getting younger, have more of an eye towards performance and very much drivers, not owners.

That said, the relevance of cars like the Arnage T to the general motoring landscape is at best tenuous. They are, however, a wonderful expression of the true enthusiast's automobile. There's a snowflake's chance in Hades that I'll ever have to choose between the handiwork of Maybach, RR and Bentley, but should the impossible happen, I now know which one will get the nod.