2001 Bentley Arnage

When the Bentley Arnage arrived in 1998, accompanied by its identical sibling from Rolls-Royce named the Silver Seraph, it represented the first all-new automotive design from either marque since 1980. The Arnage served as Bentley's imposing flagship from 1998 through 2009 and was an essential part of Bentley's resurgence in the automotive world.

Bentley emphasized its racing heritage and its pursuit of performance by unveiling its new Arnage in April 1998 at La Sarthe circuit, home of the Le Mans 24-Hour Race and scene of its greatest triumphs in the 1920s. The name 'Arnage' is a famous corner at Le Mans. Bentley, together with parent company Rolls-Royce Motors, was in collaboration with BMW at this time, and the Arnage was the first Bentley to benefit from the Munich firm's engine technology in the form of an all-new 4.4-liter 32-valve twin-turbocharged M62 V8 power unit developed by Vickers subsidiary Cosworth Engineering. The company's subsequent acquisition by Volkswagen in June of 1998 resulted in the 'old' 6.75-litre push-rod engine from the Turbo R being reintroduced on some models, beginning with the Arnage Red Label in 1999. Initial criticism that the turbocharged V8 lacked the outright torque of the previous Brooklands Turbo RT led to the reintroduction of the venerable 6.75-liter engine. The BMW engine continued to power the Green Label, although production was shifted to the Cosworth factory, while the rest of the car continued to be made at Crewe. The Red Label received a redesigned front suspension to cope with the heavier 'big block' engine, together with brakes of increased diameter. In addition, subtle alterations were made to the interior, resulting in 2-inches of additional legroom for rear-seat passengers, while features that had previously been 'extras,' including power-fold door mirrors, were included as standard. The Red Label's engine was older and simpler, yet it amply demonstrated the truth of the old saying: 'there's no substitute for cubic inches', comfortably eclipsing its more-modern sibling in the horsepower stakes, producing 420bhp to the Green Label's 350. The larger engine's stupendous torque, available from idling speed upwards, made the Green Label's five-speed automatic transmission superfluous, so the Red Label reverted to the GM 4L80-E four-speed automatic transmission.

The BMW-powered Arnage was considerably more fuel-efficient, was technically more modern, had a Bosch engine management system, and had 32 valves with double overhead camshafts. From a driver's perspective, it was more responsive and agile, with better weight balance, and weighed nearly 600 pounds less. The Red Label's 16-valve single Garrett T4 turbocharger engine shaved less than a second of the zero-to-sixty mph acceleration time compared to the twin-turbocharged BMW engine. The 835 Nm of torque produced from the 'old' engine was the greatest amount of torque for a four-door car at the time.

The styling direction was performed under Graham Hull and was the first Bentley with the body built in-house, ending a 40-year association with Pressed Steel. Its design was reminiscent of the curvaceous and harmonious shapes of the Fifties, its body was 65-percent stiffer than its predecessor, and its fit and finish were to the usual impeccable standards, including the finest Connolly hide upholstery and every conceivable luxury appointment.

In keeping with the sporty nature of the Bentley, the Arnage received a number of significant differences from the softer Silver Seraph, including a more traditional dash, additional bolstering in the rear seats, larger 17-inch diameter alloy wheels, and larger disc brakes.

A long-wheelbase version of the Red Label was introduced in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. These LWB (long wheelbase) versions were renamed the RL after the Red Labels were replaced in 2002 by the Arnage R. The long-wheelbase platform was 9.8-inches longer than the standard Arnage platform. To maintain proper proportions, the additional length was added to the front and rear doors and to the C-pillar. On the interior, the additional length was added to the rear passenger area. Some RL models were optioned with armored elements, offering protection from assault weapons and grenades.

The Arnage T was launched in 2002 and was proclaimed as the most powerful road-going Bentley at its introduction at the Detroit Motor Show. Like the Arnage R, it came equipped with twin-turbochargers, but with additional tuning and modification, the engine produced 450 horsepower and 875 Nm of torque. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in 5.5 seconds and had a claimed top speed of 170 mph.

Both the Arnage T and R models rested on the same 122.7-inch wheelbase platform.

In 2005, the Arnage line was given a facelift with a front end design that was similar to the new Continental GT and old Continental R. Two years later, the Garrett turbochargers were replaced with low-inertia Mitsubishi units designed to improve engine response, and a 6-speed ZF 6HP26 transmission from the Continental GT range was mated to the engine. The Arnage T now delivered 500 horsepower and 1,000 Nm of torque, while the Arnage R had 450 hp and 875 Nm of torque. The factory claimed the Arnage T was capable of accelerating from zero-to-sixty mph in 5.2 seconds with a top speed of 179 mph.

Special editions of the Arnage included the Le Mans Series, the Diamond Series, and the Final Series. 46 examples were Continental R Le Mans and 153 of the Arnage Le Mans. An additional 5 Le Mans editions were built on the Continental T Le Mans and 4 of the Bentley Azure Le Mans. These special Le Mans Series were given wide wheel arches, sports bumpers, red brake calipers, 'La Mans Series' badges, 5-spoke sport wheels, exclusive quad exhaust pipes, and ducting vents in the front wing. The interiors had 'Le Mans Series' lettering on the rev counter and the speedometer, unique instrumentation, a dark finished burr walnut on the Arnage Red Label, Winged B motifs embroidered into the headrests of the two-tone, perforated hide upholstery, and drilled pedals. Additionally, there were unique door sill plaques, three unique colors (Silver Storm, Black Oriole, and Le Mans Racing Green), and exclusive chrome and leather design of the gear lever.

The Diamond Series celebrated 60 years of production at the Crewe factory. Most of the 60 planned cars were sent to the United States. Unique styling elements included diamond wood inlays, diamond-quilted leather seats, Union Jack badges on the front wings, special 19-inch alloy wheels, and a stainless steel front bumper.

The Final Series was a final run of 150 Arnage vehicles before production ceased in 2009. They used the Arnage T powertrain with 500 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque and the ZF automatic transmission. Unique features included 20-inch alloy wheels, special badging, dark tint mesh upper and lower grilles, lower front wing vents, a retractable 'Flying B' hood ornament, body-colored headlamp bezels, and a 'Jewel-style' fuel filler cap. 42 exterior color choices were available along with 25 interior hides and 3 wood veneers. Mulliner designed the interior, endowing it with drilled alloy pedals, unique chrome trim, Final Series kick plates, two picnic tables, and a rear cocktail cabinet. They also received a 1,000-watt audio system manufactured by Naim Audio and four special umbrellas.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2022