Review of the new Bentley Arnage T

At first glance, Bentley would appear to be a company marketing two distinct product families. On the one hand, there are the modern Continentalmodels, cars developed since the illustrious company was bought by Volkswagen. Then there's the Arnage saloon and the Azure convertible. It would be an injustice to the excellent Continentalfamily to call these original cars 'proper Bentleys' but that's often an underlying perception amongst owners. For this year, the Arnage Range has been given even more power and a raft of design improvements.

It's worth setting a little context. In 2004, Bentley set to work on improving ride quality, especially for back seat passengers. In the Arnage R and long-wheelbase RL models, rolling comfort was improved by dint of revised rear suspension geometry, changes to spring, damper and bush rates and the adoption of specially developed Pirelli P-Zero Rosso tyres. The engines for the Arnage Range at that juncture saw little change, the only key development being compliance with Euro IV emissions regulations.

Clearly being a company that doesn't rush a job, Bentley has now given the engines some tweaking. First introduced in 1959, the V8 engine that powers the Arnage is, in today's trim, rated at 450bhp in Arnage R and long wheelbase RL trim and 500bhp if you opt for the £170,000 flagship Arnage T we're looking at here. It's come quite some way from the original 6.25-litre unit that struggled to crack 200bhp. It was the introduction of turbocharging in the early 1980s that really started cranking horsepower figures skywards and the latest generation turbo system sees the twin blowers operating with greater efficiency at low engine speeds, reaching maximum turbine speed in half the time of their predecessors. The camshafts and valve timing system has also been improved. It's easy to take progress for granted but some perspective is granted by the fact that the modern Arnage T not only produces 300bhp more than its 1959 predecessor but only consumes 60 per cent as much fuel and, thanks to improved fuel injection and exhaust controls, its emissions output is an astonishing 99 per cent lower than Bentley's first V8.

"The Bentley Arnage Range has been polished yet further"

Power is nothing without control, however, and Bentley has quietly introduced a ZF six-speed automatic transmission to replace the old four-speeder. Each Arnage model has had its gear ratios especially tuned, Plus there is a more sophisticated locking torque converter that acts even more rapidly to throttle inputs, ensuring seamless acceleration. Three transmission modes (Drive, Sport and Semi-Automatic) allow the driver to take full advantage of the improved 'box. The semi auto mode works by allowing the driver to prod the lever backwards and forwards to select gears sequentially for ultimate control.

There are other, even less obvious ways that the Arnage's power delivery and control has been finessed. Where previous Arnage models featured engine and transmissions that were governed by separate electronic control systems, this generation features a much smarter Bosch unit. Going the other way are the sport modes for the suspension and gearbox which can now be activated independently of the other for better control. The traction control and ESP stability control systems have also been recalibrated to restore full power earlier after an intervention.

The performance intent of the Arnage T is underlined by the addition of a dark finish to its front radiator and bumper grilles. A standardised bright chrome finish is applied to the R and RL grilles, while Bentley 'B' badges have been applied to the rear pillars on all models. The engine bay has also come in for some cosmetic attention, with a black crackle finish applied to the Arnage T's inlet manifold, while every model displays an embossed Bentley logo on the turbocharger plenum chambers and, in case you were in any doubt, '6¾ LITRE TWIN TURBO' engine plaques.

Options include a 19-inch six-spoke disc wheel for the R and RL models, and 19-inch five-spoke 'Blade' sports wheel for the Arnage T. Also available across the Range is the winged 'B' mascot, which saw a welcome return recently on the Diamond Series Arnage. The iconic mascot - which can retract neatly into the grille surround - was originally designed by motoring artist F. Gordon Crosby and first used on the 1930 Bentley 8-litre. Interior design updates include a hide-trimmed gearlever, chrome gearlever bezel, and a 'Thin Film Technology' driver information panel to display more comprehensive and clearly accessible information. The Arnage RL model receives additional standard specification including a rear centre armrest bottle cooler, veneered rear centre cushion box, rear Bluetooth master telephone system and a reversing camera.

With the premium German manufacturers now routinely offering 500 and even 600bhp saloons, the 450bhp of the old Arnage T was beginning to look a little quaint, especially when the far cheaper Continentalflying spur was good for 552bhp! Nowadays, the Arnage R models have the same output as the old flagship Arnage T, while the latest 'T' manages 500bhp. This may still lag behind the twelve-cylinder Spur but with a torque figure of 738lb/ft it massively outstrips the 480lb/ft figure of the Continentaland thus feels a good deal more imperious. Enough to justify £60,000 worth of incremental premium over the Continentalflying spur? A healthy order book would appear to suggest so.

Although the figures may be impressive, nothing prepares you for the moment you drop behind the wheel. Virtually everything is extravagantly, voluptuously over-engineered. The turned aluminium fascia and door inserts of the test car were beautifully finished, as was the pleated hidework on the doors and seats. You find yourself dipping switches and twisting exquisitely knurled knobs just to feel the sheer oily quality of their motion. Such is the overwhelming sense of happy surprise and delight that merely operating the big Bentley becomes a pleasure in itself.

Driving it is another story. The breathy sigh of the turbochargers and the muted howl of the engine are a prelude to the most astonishing surge of power, the prow rising slightly like a Riva speedboat as the scenery explodes through the windscreen, the behemoth tyres creating a muted thump as they traverse surface imperfections. The power feels more relentless, if slightly less explosive than of old, with a broader flatter serving of that prodigious torque. The steering at first feels disconcertingly light, but work with it and you'll find that turn in is surprisingly sharp. The superb Electronic Stability Programme helps prevent 2,655kg of metal, leather, wood and fluids getting away from underneath you.

As great as the ContinentalGT and Flying Spur models are, you need to drive an Arnage to get the fully-proofed Bentley experience. It's like no car sold today.