Bentley and Rolls-Royce are known as purveyors of the finest luxury automobiles in the world. Hailing from Britain, they enjoy a friendly rivalry, each with their own loyal customers and fan base. In 1998, Bentley released the Arnage as their full-sized luxury car offering, and the model ran for eleven years until the Mulsanne replace it. The Arnage is a slice of old-school Bentley with modern trimmings beneath the retro-styled surfaces. This 2005 Bentley Arnage R is a perfect example of why one should not let appearances deceive. The seller reports that the car has maintained service records, and it bears just 19,000 miles on the odometer.

Exterior and Interior

Looking at this 2005 Bentley Arnage R, you might be forgiven for thinking that it’s from thirty or forty years before, albeit modernized on the edges a bit and with a set of large alloy wheels. That’s the design language Bentley were going for, a harking back to Bentley’s golden years, albeit with modern touches. A cream exterior is the paint job on offer with this car, and it rolls on a set of six-spoked chromed alloy wheels. Four exhaust tips peeking out from beneath the rear bumper indicate that it’s packing heat. Of course, the place to be in such a car is on the inside, which is also a cream affair, accented by wood trims, metal elements and fine finishings. This is where the ‘don’t let appearances deceive’ mien really applies, as the tech count is impressive for a 2005 car. You’ve got dual-zone climate control, electrically adjustable heated memory seats at the front, heated seats at the rear, a multifunction steering with cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, power windows, mirrors, and door locks. At first appearance you might wonder where the infotainment system is, and this 2005 Bentley Arnage R has received a significant upgrade in that department, all hidden away behind the original sliding panels on the new dash panel. There are a total of three screens with the main screen being a Jensen DVD head unit with pop-out screen that’s also got navigation, Android connectivity and is SiriusXM ready. Two more screens face the rear, living behind sliding panels in the backs of the front seat head rests. Pop the trunk and you’ll find that luggage space is a tad reduced, what with a pair of Audison amplifiers, subwoofers, an Alpine CD changer as well as Alpine DVD changer having set up residence alongside the signature Bentley umbrellas. Some quirky traditional appointments in the rear include fold-down picnic tables from the front seat backs, as well as a bar, consisting of champagne flutes, beverage glasses and mixers.

Engine

This 2005 Bentley Arnage R packs a monstrous (for a British car) 6.75L V8 engine with twin turbochargers that put out a rather healthy 400hp at just 4,100rpm, augmented by 616lb-ft of torque at 3,250rpm. The engine is a low-rev cruiser, as witnessed by the tachometer’s red line at just 4,600rpm. Drive is sent to the rear wheels via a GM 4L60E four-speed automatic transmission.