Popular Bentley Cars: Bentley Arnage R 2004 Road Test

Bentley Arnage R 2004 Road Test

Worth Every Penny

I was sitting down for dinner with a public relations rep for one of Detroit’s Big 3 recently, discussing the good, bad and the ugly of the automotive world. After the usual “How did that vehicle get past the design stage?” conversation, talk turned to the most desirable cars. You know what I mean, the ones that you’d buy if money wasn’t part of the equation?

Ultra-luxury brands like Maybach, Rolls-Royce and Bentley are truly in a league unto themselves. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

When it comes to luxury sedans, there aren’t many brands that qualify. I’m not talking about premium cars made by Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, but top-tier ultra-luxury models from Maybach, Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Such marques are in a league unto themselves, not only because of their seemingly unreachable prices, but also because of beautiful craftsmanship, hedonistic luxury features and overwhelming performance.

As he is an avid collector, a true car guy to the core, I found it especially interesting that he chose Bentley as the consummate marque above all others, pointing out that the new Continental GT might just be his favorite car all-round.

Recently I was able to experience the Arnage R first hand, and I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

This pro-Bentley sentiment is not unusual, mind you. I’ve spoken to many industry insiders and enthusiasts alike who feel likewise. Personally, if my income stretched to stratospheric levels I’d be placing my order for a new Continental myself, or an Arnage if my line of business demanded four doors.

But my enthusiasm for Bentley is not only founded in an appreciation for the automaker’s gorgeous design language, but through personal experience. Having had the opportunity not too long ago to drive an Arnage R first hand, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.

Sure I expected it to drive well, after all the car costs close to a third of a million. But I didn’t expect it to perform to supercar levels, especially being that it’s far from all-new architecturally. Nevertheless, the 2,585 kg (5,699 lbs) heavyweight dashes to 100 km/h in no more than 5.9 seconds before

Sure I expected a luxurious ride, but the supercar-like performance from the 400-hp twin-turbocharged 6.75-L V8 was something I hadn’t factored on. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

attaining its speed limited maximum velocity of 249 km/h (155 mph), all the while displaying the sophisticated unruffled composure befitting of a car in this league. There’s nothing particularly inventive under the hood, just good old big block displacement combined with twin-turbochargers. Just the same the precision built 6.75-L V8 in the Arnage R makes 400-hp at 4,000 rpm and 616 lb-ft of torque at 3,250 rpm, the latter spec being the motivation that moves the mountain.

While the term “4-speed automatic” doesn’t evoke the same high-tech sound as it did a decade or so ago, the engine’s generous torque makes the extra cog of a 5-speed hardly necessary. The gearbox is equipped with Adaptive Shift Control, however, making notable adjustments to shift points in the rev range

Considering the car’s substantial size and weight, it accelerated and handled curves with ideal balance. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

depending on how aggressively or passively I was driving. The best thing about the system is its seamlessness. I only noticed the computer controlled shift energy management system working away in the background because I was looking for differences in shift patterns. Don’t get me wrong, it gets racy when called upon, but the process is so velvety smooth that its shift intervals are barely perceptible.

It takes to the corners with the same ease as it accelerates, again a surprising feat considering the car’s substantial heft. I took the opportunity to snake the big Bentley through a particularly serpentine stretch of coastal highway, up over crests and down into deeply descending dales, around long sweeping arcs and then switching back through sharp curves. No matter what roadway, the Arnage charged forward relentlessly, showing an ideal balance of breathtaking speed and resolute grace.

According to Bentley its good manners don’t come by chance, but were bred into the Arnage R through a thorough reengineering of the front bulkhead, rocker panels, wheel arches and roof, plus adhesive bonding of specific chassis components. The end result is a ten percent improvement in chassis rigidity compared to the old Red Label the R replaces, improving all aspects of ride and handling while reducing HVH levels.

The Arnage R’s performance didn’t happen by chance, Bentley reengineered a majority of the car to greatly increase chassis rigidity from the prior model. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

All Arnage Rs feature an independent double-wishbone suspension system front and rear, plus 18-inch alloy rims shod with P255/50ZR18 performance tires, enhancing driving dynamics yet further.

I experienced a little moisture on the road surface in the morning and a little more that fell from the sky in the late afternoon, and therefore was grateful for the addition of ESP (electronic stability program). As it turns out the Arnage tracks almost as if in the dry during inclement weather.

Only the more powerful Arnage T is more entertaining to drive than the R, with rival brands being more biased towards backseat comfort. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

The Rs braking performance is without equal in its luxury class as well, returning me from rapid velocities to saner speeds in about as much time as it took to contemplate the thought. The reasons behind the sedan’s quick deceleration are massive micro-alloy ventilated discs at each corner, helped along by a sophisticated 4-channel anti-lock brake system.

When it comes to super sedan rivals, only the more powerful Arnage T is more entertaining to drive than the R, with both the Maybach and Rolls-Royce Phantom reportedly biased more toward rear seat comfort than at-the-wheel enthusiasm.

The Arnage might just have the most beautifully detailed interior too. I’ve spent time inside both the Maybach and Rolls-Royce, and if I was being driven around by a chauffeur I might opt for the former.

Designed with the driver in mind, the Arnage might just have the most beautifully detailed interior available. (Photo: Bentley Motors)

But Bentleys, for the most part, are not designed to be chauffer driven limousines. They are driver’s cars first and foremost. That’s why I appreciated the lovely wood and metalwork that surround the instrument panel and center console, much more enticing to me than the Maybach’s cockpit. It’s not that the Maybach is less opulent, but its upper dash, instrument shroud, air vents and steering wheel are pulled almost directly out of the lower class Mercedes-Benz S Class, and comprised completely of plastic. Sure it’s of the highest quality, but it’s still plastic.

Other than the pop-up dash-mounted navigation system and the odd button on the console, there is basically no plastic found in the Arnage interior. (Photo: Bentley Motors)

The Arnage, however, is handmade with no plastic anywhere in sight, except for its pop-up dash-mounted navigation system and a few buttons on the center console. All other buttons and knobs are solid metal, giving the car a sense of substance that nothing else that I’ve tested can match.

The exquisitely detailed wood trim that accents the side window ledges is solid, a thick piece of burr walnut or bird’s eye maple to match the rest of the interior motif, depending on preferences, butting up against the window and formed to integrate perfectly with the leather door panel. The door panel’s leather, along with the leather covering the seats, console, and even the roof liner, is stitched together with what looks to be painstaking artisanship.

If the Arnage wasn’t so much fun to drive I could have easily whiled away hours in the grandeur of the commodious heated back seat. It’s a wonderful location to take in

After my time in the car, I can truly understand why the Arnage R commands such a lofty price, and can honestly say it’s worth every penny. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

the entire interior, breath in the aroma of fine materials and watch the scenery slip by at overwhelming speeds. I took the opportunity, as no test of a sedan is complete without doing so, and appreciated the same fine attention paid to pampering occupants as I found up front. Despite its impressive driving dynamics the Arnage exhibits a silky smooth ride, something I would probably grow to appreciate if I actually owned one, as I’m sure I would loose the privilege of a driver’s license after my first few months.

Somewhere along my daylong drive I must admit to being smitten by the Arnage. Maybe it was because of my love for classic European cars, or possibly it was the new world sophistication of this particular model’s high level of performance, but either way I came away a believer.

In today’s automotive world of generic sameness, underwhelming quality and cheap plastic production line efficiency, a handmade Bentley Arnage R is truly worth every penny.

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