First Drive Review
When Volkswagen acquired Bentley and announced plans for a new, smaller car that would boost annual production of the legendary marque from 2000 to 9000 units, it was assumed VW would also remake the flagship Arnage in its own image. After all, the Arnage was developed in collaboration with German rival BMW and originally used a BMW engine.
Now it's clear the Arnage will take Bentley into the future as BMW has no wish to continue with the Arnage's sister car, the Silver Seraph, when it begins producing Rolls-Royce cars in 2003. Also, Bentley enthusiasts gave a rousing reception to the Arnage Red Label, introduced in 1999 with the traditional turbocharged 6.75-liter pushrod V-8.
For 2002, Bentley offers a Series 2 Arnage lineup, led by the potent Arnage T. With a boggling 450 horsepower, it is the most powerful roadgoing Bentley ever and, according to Bentley, is now the world's fastest four-door production sedan—yours for about $235,000 when it hits showrooms in April. Milder Series 2 Arnage R and long-wheelbase models will follow.
Most of the Series 2 work is under the skin. You need to be a dedicated Bentley watcher to notice the discreetly reprofiled trunklid, the new bumpers and air intakes, and the 19-inch split-rim wheels. Of course, there would be nothing so vulgar as "Series 2" badging; only the winged-B label in black, as on the Le Mans Bentleys of old, gives a clue to the new model. There's also an aluminum plate under the hood that announces the "6.75-litre twin turbo."
A full 50 percent of this engine—a design that dates back 40 years—is all-new, and most of the remainder has been reengineered. Although its configuration and displacement are unchanged, the aluminum cylinder block, the pistons, the camshaft, the heads, and the valves have all been changed. And the single big turbocharger has been replaced by two smaller Garrett T3 compressors.
The latest Bosch Motronic ME7.1.1 engine-management system gives Bentley its first electronic drive-by-wire throttle. This leviathan of an engine is now permitted to rev to 5000 rpm, 500 more than previously, although its power peak is 4300, where it produces 450 horsepower. Maximum torque is also leviathan—645 pound-feet.
