Seeing a Bentley Arnage R sauntering down the motorway is a rare sight, one many will never see. To drive one is an even rarer privilege held by those wealthy enough to own one or those fortunate enough to run in the right circles. But is the Bentley mystique and brand association worth the price of admittance? Maybe, depending on whom you ask. Bentley prides itself on building pieces of rolling art, still formed and constructed mostly by hand from the highest quality materials, but by today's standards they lack modern conveniences drivers demand and to which they have become accustomed.
For the $250,000 sticker price of the Bentley Arnage R, one could buy a loaded Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG that will run circles around the Arnage R in every way – including exclusivity – and still have enough money left over to buy a well equipped BMW 5 Series. Not only has the quality of volume production cars drastically improved, luxury cars of today are frequently technologically superior to the status cars of the ultra-luxury class. Today's modern masterpieces are loaded with laser guidance systems for parking and cruise control, massaging and cooling seats that counteract lateral cornering forces, night vision and computer based technology for everything from the audio system to suspension settings, and list goes on and on. Regardless, it seems there are still enough high rollers who can appreciate a hand-built custom carriage from Bentley and are willing to lay down the cash for the privilege of ownership despite the lack of modern conveniences.
Buying a Bentley differs from buying a series production car. When laying down the kind of cash necessary to acquire an Arnage R, you pretty much get to build the car to your liking. Bentley offers 40 different paint colors plus the option of adding a two-tone scheme to your new ride. A choice of 27 interior leather options, including piping on the seats and headrests, complements any exterior color. As Bentley states in its press materials for the Arnage: “The only constraints are of imagination, and perhaps the broad bands of good taste."
While the Arnage R comes with a 400-horsepower, twin-turbocharged V8 pounding out 616 lb.-ft. of torque, buyers have the ability to step it up and opt for the Arnage T which is powered by a stronger version of the V8 delivering 450 horsepower and 645 lb.-ft. of torque. Both cars run this power through a dinosaur of a four-speed transmission. Standard for the R and RL models are six-spoke, 18-inch wheels with the option of adding 12-spoke, 19-inch wheels if you like. The 19-inch wheels are standard on the most powerful model, the Arnage T. A DVD-based satellite navigation system has been integrated into the dash of the Arnage for a cleaner look while improvements to the rear suspension are claimed to have improved handling and ride qualities.
Whatever your idea of exclusivity and luxury, the Bentley Arnage R still carries the old school charm and appeal despite lacking the new school technologies.
PerformanceEach Bentley Arnage R is fit with an all-aluminum, 400-horsepower, twin-turbo 6.75-liter V8 that produces an impressive 616 lb.-ft. of torque. All of the power is fed to the rear wheels through an aging four-speed adaptive automatic transmission. Bentley claims a 0-60 mph acceleration time of six seconds flat and a governed top-speed of 155 mph. At this price level one might expect at least a five- or six-speed transmission, especially with Mercedes-Benz and Lexus upping the ante in current models with seven- and eight-speed transmissions.
Handling The stiffer-than-expected ride is the first clue that the Bentley Arnage R is a driver's car and the first hard corner reiterates that. For such a big sedan, the Arnage holds its own in the corners displaying slight understeer when pushed. Brakes are soft and don't offer the kind of feedback I prefer, but communication through the thick wood-and-leather steering wheel is great and the Pirelli P-Zero tires, along with changes to the spring, damper and bushing rates, offer occupants an improved ride comfort. The Arnage rides on a double wishbone suspension both front and rear.
VisibilityVisibility to the back through the rearview mirror is good despite the small rear window, but the thick C-pillars and small side mirrors produce difficulty in seeing out. In fact, the passenger's side mirror displayed magnification that made vehicles appear much closer making it difficult to trust the mirrors when changing lanes. They are also too small to give a clear view of the passenger's side blind spot.
Fun to Drive The Bentley Arnage is a fun car to drive for a couple of reasons. First, the Arnage features a surprisingly firm feel of the car. A luxury car is expected to be soft and floaty, but the Arnage throws that expectation out the window during the first mile of driving. The Arnage is a driver's car and the respectable handling and taut but compliant ride make for a lot of fun. Second, driving around town in a car as exclusive as the Bentley Arnage R, which turns heads at every turn, can really play up one's ego. Fact is, you don't really have to tell anyone it's not yours, right?
Front Comfort When it comes to comfort, Bentley can make a driver feel right at home. That is if you live in an upscale gated community. The Arnage's interior is covered in the highest quality leather and the seats are well padded but lack sufficient bolstering for a driver's car. Electric lumbar adjustment along with padded door armrests, lots of interior room, and a thick wood-and-leather steering wheel add to the comfort level. A couple of things missing that you might expect in this price range are cooled seats and a massage feature.
Rear Comfort Reclining rear seats that retract to allow easy entry and exit are the highlight of the Bentley Arnage's rear quarters. Large padded door panel armrests keep occupants comfortable, as does a drop-down center console with a small storage compartment. There are even large padded C-pillars for resting your head should you become weary. Negatives are the lack of rear climate controls, massage feature, cooled seats, electric door pulls, and the distance passenger's must reach to adjust the air vents. At $250K, the Arnage should require little effort from its passengers to achieve total comfort.
Interior Noise Though the Bentley Arnage R is a driver's car, it is nevertheless surprising how much engine noise intrudes into the cabin. Add to that some wind noise from the windscreen as well as a noisy climate fan and you might be disappointed with your investment if isolation is a goal. Some engine noise would be acceptable due to the Arnage's sporting character, but what exists is excessive. The exhaust note does have a nice tone to it, though.
Loading CargoHere is where the Bentley Arnage really shines, which, if you think about it, is a problem for this car. The trunk is spacious and covered top to bottom with high quality carpet. The liftover height is low, adding to comfort levels when throwing your Louis Vuitton luggage into the boot for a weekend getaway, and the lid raises to a full 90-degree angle, placing it well out of head bashing range. A light pull using the assist grip on the inside of the lid activates an electric assist motor that snugly closes the lid. Forget taking the Arnage on a ski trip, though. There's no trunk pass-through or folding rear seats, although you could probably have them commissioned.
Build QualityAs expected, the mostly hand-built Bentley Arnage has impeccable fit-and-finish. Inside and out, panels are flush and seams are straight and tight. Small hand-built character flaws are apparent, like door hinges in need of a good smoothing before the painting process, but these small imperfections tend to be acceptable given the assembly process. Our test car did, however, have issues that were unacceptable at any price, hand-built or not. The navigation screen would only intermittently raise and lower, and never did activate so that we could test how easy it was to program, the passenger's side front seatbelt jammed and took a bit of fiddling to get it working again, the brakes and driver's door squeaked, and at the end of our testing the remote keyless fob wouldn't unlock the back doors or release the trunk.
Materials QualityNo expense was spared when it comes to the materials inside the Bentley Arnage. Hand-sewn leather is abundant and the wood trim is top notch. Beautiful metal vent bezels and switches have the look and feel of quality. The only issues that detracted from the feel for me was the look of the parking brake and the cheap plastic pull used for the bonnet release.
StylingThe Bentley Arnage R definitely has a prestigious look but it carries too many old-school design cues to look contemporary. The front looks bold and regal with the round headlights, but the rear loses the look with numerous large red taillights. The small rear window design is also odd, adding to the heavy appearance of the C-pillar. Regardless, the Arnage turns heads, even here in Southern California where sightings of exotics are a daily occurrence.
StorageThe Bentley Arnage is definitely lacking storage space. It seems not much thought was given for miscellaneous items the driver and passengers might be carrying. I tended to use the area where the seat switches were as a tray but my stuff always slid back under the cupholder area where it was difficult to extract. Speaking of cupholders, the fronts hold drinks well enough but the armrests must be raised to use them. The rear cupholders are cheap and don't look like they would keep your drink vertical long enough to back out of your parking space.
Infotainment ControlsI love the fact that Bentley has installed a standard stereo with easy-to-use knobs in the Arnage. No mouse or menu navigation here. The stereo controls are distinctly separate from the navigation screen and located high in the center console for easy access. The navigation screen is manually opened with a discreet switch located next to the sunroof switch and navigated using a small plastic remote. The whole system looks to be an afterthought and didn't work so we couldn't test it.
Climate ControlsOnce again, Bentley keeps things simple when it comes to the climate system. Easy buttons control temperature settings, and the fan speed and air flow settings are also controlled with well-marked switches. No need to dig out the owner's manual here.
Secondary ControlsSecondary controls are both functional and intuitive – with the exception of the power window switches. Every staff member had difficulty raising and lowering the Bentley's windows because the switches, mounted on the center console, work opposite of how you think they will. Door locking and unlocking is controlled by a simple switch located next to the inside door pull and each outside mirror has its own chrome switch on the center console. Though they were unmarked, it was easy enough to figure out what they did. Seat controls are found under a sliding panel in the center console. Simply choose the lower cushion or seat back setting from the pictogram and tilt the rocker switch to make adjustments.
SpecificationsTest Vehicle: 2006 Bentley Arnage R
Price of Test Vehicle: $250,230 (includes $2,595 destination fee and $5,400 gas guzzler tax)
Engine Size and Type : 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V8
Engine Horsepower: 400 at 4,000 rpm
Engine Torque: 616 lb.-ft. at 3,250 rpm
Transmission: Four-speed automatic
Curb Weight, Lbs.: 5,699
EPA Fuel Economy (city/highway): 10/14 mpg
Observed Fuel Economy: 9 mpg
Length: 212.2 inches
Width: 76.1 inches
Wheelbase: 122.7 inches
Height: 59.7 inches
Max. Seating Capacity: Five
Legroom (front/rear): 40.2/41.3 inches
Headroom (front/rear): 38.9/NA
Max. Cargo Volume:13 cu.-ft.
Competitors: Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG
Second OpinionsBentley Arnage – Christian Wardlaw's Opinion:
Despite several shortcomings, I thoroughly enjoyed driving the Bentley Arnage on a blazingly hot day in Newport Beach, Calif. Even in this tony seaside enclave that houses the rich and famous, people took notice of the Arnage, a car less popular car in that region than the less expensive but altogether more satisfying Continental Flying Spur. It's clear, however, that the Arnage is an aged automobile, one that was perhaps not fully baked when it first went on sale around the turn of the century. The twin-turbocharged 12-cylinder engine was loud, the squeaking brakes filled the cabin with a burning metallic scent after light use, the steering assist faded if the wheel was twisted too rapidly, and the structure didn't feel as rigid as many of today's midsize family cars let alone other ultra-luxury sedans. Add flawed ergonomics and a navigation system that didn't work to the mix, and it would be easy to write the Arnage off as all style, zero substance. Truth is, that's not far off the mark. Get a load of that wire mesh grille, that stately design, that luscious caramel leather, those classic gauges, and all that gleaming wood trim accented by twinkling chrome. That's what the Bentley Arnage is all about: looking good. Which is why I thoroughly enjoyed driving it on a blazingly hot day in Newport Beach, Calif.
Bentley Arnage – Thom Blackett's Opinion:
Wow. A simple mono-syllabic word that suggests that something is so incredibly magnificent that one is at a temporary loss for more eloquent verbiage. Or, in the case of the 2006 Bentley Arnage, it can mean “Wow. People actually pay a quarter mil' for this thing?"
It was an interesting week for test cars – we had a Mercedes-Benz S550, the Bentley, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom, with the $250,000 Bentley landing a notch higher than the $100,000 Benz and below the $350,000 Rolls. To say that the Bentley was overpriced would be an understatement of monumental proportions. Interior materials were admittedly top-notch, unless you noticed the carpets fraying around the door edges and the warped plastic vent panel atop the dash. However, you'll only notice those things if you're not already flustered by the loud and stiff ride, the unrefined powertrain grumble, the ponderous steering, and the unresponsive brakes. Plus, the excess sheet metal used to make the rear window appear smaller just looks odd. As if those concerns weren't enough, I was honestly dumbfounded to discover our $250,000 test car lacked a rear entertainment system, rear sound controls, rear window shades, or properly-positioned and thus usable rear trays. Yes, it has a Bentley badge, but from my perspective, that simply represents money wasted when an overall better automobile, such as the S550, can be had in duplicate with money left over for some custom rims.
Photos by Ron Perry
