Review of the new Bentley Arnage R - Travel Story

It's probably best to get it out of the way straight off the bat, I have a bit of a soft spot for Bentley's Arnage. It may not be quite as sharp as a more modern-looking super luxury saloon but it's not far off and then you've got that coolly detached Bentley brand image, the superbly constructed interior and a highly practical loadbay tagging along behind. At stupid-o'clock on a bitter December morning with 700 miles of motorway mashing and autoroute attrition ahead, much comfort was derived from the sight of our silver Arnage on the driveway, glistening with frost in the half-light.

The plan was for the four of us to head south for the winter or at least, for a week's skiing in the French Alps. With two studio apartments booked, along with ferry crossings, lift passes and ski hire, through leading ski-specialist tour operators Peak Retreats (www.peakretreats.co.uk / 0870 7700408), only the little matter of an eight-hour drive to the resort of Les Deux Alpes remained.

Before we tackle the slog to the southern French Alps, let's take a step back to the night before where the Arnage cleared its first hurdle with a flourish. A week's skiing is no fortnight on a Mediterranean beach. Shorts and tee shirts are left firmly in the closet in favour of warmer but bulkier jumpers, coats, hats and gloves. With four people, each apparently accompanied by enough equipment for an assault on Everest, space looked like it was going to be an issue. In the event, four super-sized sports bags along with various holdalls and a portable stereo were accommodated in the enormous boot without too much pushing and shoving.

"The Arnage was composure made metal, even on thick snow or ice"

The brief squirt down to Dover was nothing in comparison to the mileage that lay ahead and as the bow doors rumbled open and we rolled from the ferry's car deck onto French soil, it was time to see what this Bentley was really made of. Given the pick of the Arnage engine Range, you'd probably select the mid-Range muscle and performance of the 500bhp V8 found in the Arnage T for this trip but our Arnage was an 'R' model, packing the 450bhp version of this engine.

The engine officially averages just 14.5mpg on the combined cycle and the fear was that we were about to embark on a picturesque tour of French filling stations. On the smooth, clear autoroutes of France however, the Arnage returned well over 20mpg and, thanks to the huge fuel tank, stops were few and far between. It was certainly better than had been suspected and there was the added bonus of the hushed progress imperiously delivered by the silken V8. At cruising speeds, noise in the cabin consisted of wind rustle around the A-pillars and little else, with only a muted thrum emanating from the engine bay.

The ride was never less than polished and unflustered, thanks in part to the revised suspension with its new separate 'Sport' mode. The 6761cc engine's usual surging performance was noticeably blunted by all the extra weight on board but, while the official 5.5-second 0-60mph time would be unattainable without considerable load lightening, it was still quick enough.

The Arnage's cabin is a great place to sit out a long journey. The quality of materials, fit and finish is exemplary while the control interface is intuitive in a way that rival prestige manufacturers could learn much from. There are certain essential items of equipment for a luxury saloon capable of long distance travel and our Bentley ticked them all off. Cruise control, heated seats, satellite navigation: all combined as the icing on the comfort and convenience cake. In the back seats, two six-foot adults were easily accommodated with legroom to spare while the supportive front seats and comfortable driving position really helped to combat fatigue behind the wheel.

Before we knew it and with more of the fuel budget still intact than expected, we were pulling off the motorway for the climb into the mountains. After a brief moment in limbo while the hesitant gearbox got its act together, the Arnage powered forward to ease through overtaking manoeuvres on the single lane roads. Snow appeared at the roadside and deepened but the treated tarmac remained clear and ice free, until the turn off for Les Deux Alpes. A thin covering of slushy snow on the surface of the hairpin-ridden mountain road up to the resort provoked some concern and we were glad that recent refinements to the Bentley's ESP logic system allowed more spirited handling without any reduction in stability or safety. The helm lacked the feel you might want on this snaking route but there was never any suggestion of a shortage of grip. So much so in-fact that the temptation was there to press on a little more than you knew you should.

It was the same story for the following week driving on the roads around Les Deux Alpes. The Arnage was composure made metal, even on thick snow or ice. If slippage occurred, the improved ESP stability control system safety net quickly intervened, instilling the confidence to tackle steep inclines that would have been extremely touch and go in a two-wheel-drive car. The Bentley drew its fair share of admiring glances in the process, the simple, sleek lines and that hint of ice blue in the silvery paintwork, set off against the white scenery.

Overall, the Arnage proved itself to be the consummate ski vehicle. After a thoroughly enjoyable week, it even managed to make the weary trek back to Blighty something more than bearable. Refinement, cargo capacity and the security of the stability control system stood out, as did the spacious cabin with its quality ambience. The 6761cc engine is a great powerplant, potent and hushed in the best V8 Bentley traditions. You pay a penalty for this in fuel economy but if that's a problem, you probably wouldn't have been considering a car like this in the first place. The slight remoteness in the driving experience might be an issue for press-on owners but for us on this particular trip, it was exactly what was required. Who wastes a car as good as this by handing it over to a chauffeur?