Whenever companies have intended to amalgamate luxury with performance, they have struggled. The Cadillac CTS variants are some of the prime examples. Manufacturing heavy cars that can pack a performance punch becomes a challenge, considering these would not only become too expensive but at times would also be too difficult to manufacture. Bentley stepped onto the field holding several Le Mans trophies to prove its super-performance and was able to mix it with luxury to give us the Arnage Series. The 2004 Bentley Arnage T was the cherry on top of the Arnage collection launched some 6 years prior to its release. The upgrade to a 6.75-liter V8 Twin-Turbo engine was very well managed to ensure the maximum performance of the cars is utilized. The Arnage T was known for its sporty behavior molded into a luxurious masterpiece.
Upon its separation from Vickers PLC, Bentley was looking for a different identity unique to itself under the ownership of Volkswagen. Bentley, therefore, initially released The Arnage ‘Green’ and ‘Red’ label series to replace the Mulsanne and Bentley Eight Models, which were getting a little too old for the modern world and required a much-needed upgrade. The older variants of Arnage were powered by a 4.4 Liter V8 BMW engine, delivering performance while being innately luxurious. However, since Rolls-Royce’s entry into this competition with the release of Silver Seraph, Bentley intensified its manufacturing process and moved towards an in-house 6.75-liter V8 engine, hence relieving itself from BMW dependence.
Bentleys have been much more successful in their production of luxury grand tourer coupes like this 2005 Bentley Continental. Therefore, a movement towards a high-performance car was skeptical as the car would have to compromise considerably on luxury amenities. However, this wasn’t the case for the 2004 Arnage T. The car was powered by a conventional Bentley V8 engine which was able to generate 450 Horsepower. This meant that the car had an insane torque of over 875 Newton-meters (646 lb-ft) at 3,250 rpm, meaning the power was sufficient to pull the 5,732 lbs. vehicle. Despite weighing over 5,000 pounds, the car’s suspension was strong enough to support a maximum speed of 170 mph. However, you wouldn’t expect such heavy cars to be excellent with accelerations since the torque produced isn’t meant to carry the car rapidly over short distances. However, with the 2004 Arnage T, the torque produced was massive and the car could do 0-100 km/h in 5.5 seconds. All this was made possible through an automatic transmission utilizing a 4-gear shift. This has been intentional as the company believes this allows smoother shifting from one gear to another and complements the suspension system very efficiently.
Bentley has been known for the wooden veneers, with the console and dashboard covered with premium-quality wood, handcrafted for better finishing. Similarly, the leather, the polished material, and soft-touch surfaces weren’t exactly new to the brand. However, the improvements within the comfort features were something even the consumers weren’t expecting. The company has been known to let go of some comfort features in the past to make room for the aesthetically pleasing features. This has allowed the company to better maintain its luxury-style and have amenities last much longer. The large body of an Arnage already is known to provide ample leg-room for the passengers and the drivers. This has been a key selling point for the Series but, in the 2004 Arnage T, the company implemented an advanced heating and ventilation system with rear-seat climate control. The air filtration system of the car was found to be extremely efficient as there was a clear improvement within the breathable air. Furthermore, the advanced technology present within this model only got better each year, with the cruise control system becoming much more credible with passing years. The car also featured several other driving assistance features for a smoother ride.
The selling point of the very first Bentley Continental was not the luxuries it offered nor the performance enhancement; it was the unique aesthetics of the car that made everyone yearn for it. The famous Bentley grill is apparent with the 2004 Arnage T as well, with the polished metal providing a subtle luxury touch unavailable in many other brands. The car retains much of its traditional design unlike the Flying Spur or the Continental GT which have a lower ground clearance and are much larger cars. Since the 2004 Arnage T was made to be much more aerodynamic to support the hyper-engine and provide peak performance, the car was made slightly smaller with the front grill aesthetics also being sacrificed for better performance. However, the 18-inch tires were retained by the company alongside the suave rims with the iconic ‘B’ at the helm.
Bentleys have always been known to be some of the most expensive sedans available in the market. The premium quality finishing, the polished metal, the super-charged engine, and the fluid-like suspension almost justify the company’s high price tags. The Bentley Arnage was supposed to be a tribute to the original Bentley engines that were focused on a performance-based ideology. The ideology that led the company to win several Le Mans in the early 1900s and eventually build up the foundation of the Bentley Flying Spur. The 2013 Flying Spur is one of the examples of such cars produced since the discontinuation of the Arnage in 2009. Models like the 2004 Arnage T worked as building blocks for Bentley who then moved on towards a W12 engine manufacturing even more horsepower. The car retains its value till this day and would still be excellent in daily use given that it has been well maintained since its release almost 20 years ago. This is where our services at Exotic Car Trader would come in, where we not only maintain cars but run them through vigorous tests to ensure the car marketplace that we have created delivers its promise of a one-shop-stop.
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