Bentley Arnage Final Series to end Arnage’s last 150 units
To celebrate the 10 years of the Arnage and 50 years of its V8 engine, Bentley will be launching a limited edition model at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. The Bentley Arnage Final Series will bid farewell to the Arnage series.
Bentley will take the last 150 units of a very exclusive run and give them a little more exclusiveness with some exclusive features and design elements from the Brooklands coupe. The Bentley Arnage Final Series can be easily distinguished by the 20-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels, Le Mans lower front wing air vents, body-colored front and rear lamp bezels, a jewel fuel filler cap and ‘Final Series’ wing badges and polished stainless steel treadplates to on the front doors.
Power comes from Arnage T’s 500-hp V8 engine with a maximum torque of 738 lb-ft. The 0 to 62 mph time comes in 5.2 seconds with a top speed of 179 mph.
Follow the jump for a high-res image gallery and the press release.
Bentley Arnage Final Series:
Press Release:
BENTLEY ARNAGE FINAL SERIES
– Handcrafted at Bentley, Crewe, Arnage Final Series is an exclusive run of 150 cars, celebrating the last of Arnage
– Combining the performance of the T with the refinement of the R, Arnage Final Series is the ultimate expression of class-leading luxury and effortless power
– Arnage Final Series is the culmination of 90 years of Bentley heritage and marks the 50th anniversary of the company’s iconic V8 engine
– Arnage Final Series also signals the end of an era as Bentley prepares for the future
Since its debut in 1998 the Arnage has conveyed an air of sophisticated understatement as the four-door flagship of the Bentley range. Over the last decade the car has undergone a process of constant refinement to its body, design, chassis and powertrain to maintain its class-leading position in the high luxury market.
To celebrate 10 years of the Arnage, 50 years of its mighty V8 engine and 90 years of the marque, Bentley Motors launches its limited edition model at the Paris Motor Show today.
Called the Bentley Arnage Final Series, the new model features a unique specification, combining the performance of the 500 bhp Arnage T with the refinement of the Arnage R and design elements from the Brooklands coupe, for the ultimate expression of British luxury and effortless power in a four-door saloon ““ a grand finale, for the grandest of Bentleys.
Hand crafted at Bentley’s Crewe facility, the Final Series is an exclusive run of 150 cars, a unique example of the marque’s flagship created to bid ‘farewell’ to the highly successful Arnage line in the most appropriate manner and style. Bentley Chairman and Chief Executive, Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen, explains:
“For 10 years, Arnage has enjoyed extraordinary success at the pinnacle of the luxury saloon market. The Final Series is a celebration of the Arnage era as Bentley prepares for the next generation of its flagship model.”
For the last ten years the Arnage’s combination of muscular lines and understated luxury have endowed it with a commanding road presence synonymous with all Bentley Grand Tourers, subtly conveying the car’s formidable performance potential.
This powerful exterior profile is underpinned by a torsionally stiff bodyshell (with an astonishing 6,500 spot welds) that helps to deliver outstanding ride and refinement. Based on the sporting Arnage T, the Final Series offers a range of discreet exterior cues that further enhance its powerful stance. Key ingredients of the distinctive appearance include a dark-tinted Bentley matrix radiator grille with Flying ‘B’ mascot and dark-tinted lower grille. The iconic Flying ‘B’, which can retract neatly into the grille surround, was originally designed by motoring artist F. Gordon Crosby and was first used on the 1930 Bentley 8-Litre.
The Arnage Final Series is further distinguished by exterior design features first seen on the exclusive Bentley Brooklands coupe, comprising 20-inch five-spoke, two-piece alloy wheels and ‘Le Mans’ lower front wing air vents.
Additional unique features include body-coloured front and rear lamp bezels, ‘jewel’ fuel filler cap (made from billet aluminium) together with ‘Final Series’ wing badges and polished stainless steel treadplates to the front doors.
The Arnage Final Series will have a very special appeal to Bentley customers, as Peter Guest, Head of Department, Body & Trim, explains:
“Thanks to its hand-built exclusivity and superb quality, Arnage has become a world-wide benchmark for automotive craftsmanship. The Final Series epitomises the truly bespoke feel we aspire to and are determined to maintain.”
Inside, the Final Series is everything you would expect of a bespoke Bentley, offering the highest levels of hand-craftsmanship to a small, but discerning audience. The interior offers a remarkably spacious, luxury cabin to provide the ultimate in firstclass travel for four adults.
Many of the most desirable Mulliner options are included in Final Series as standard, most notably the hand-made waistrails with inset chrome strip with recessed Bentley badges, the new rear cocktail cabinet and document storage trimmed in hide, plus the beautifully designed picnic tables available in a choice of three premium unbleached wood veneers ““ all prime examples of Crewe craftsmanship.
Bentley is the only automobile manufacturer in the world to offer as standard a cabin trimmed entirely with leather hides ““ including the headlining. The handcrafted steering wheel requires up to 16 hours of double-stitching. A set of mirror-matched veneers for each car takes 13 days to craft, while 17 hides and almost 400 separate pieces of leather are used for the upholstery, trim and headlining. Arnage Final Series spans the many eras between traditional coachbuilding skills and 21st century high-performance automotive engineering.
As in every Bentley, peerless craftsmanship and bespoke finishing are to the fore. Every item of trim, be it veneer, hide or chromed bezel, uses authentic materials. Built by hand, the creation of each Arnage takes a minimum of six weeks and owners can take full advantage of Mulliner, Bentley’s specialist commissioning department, as Trevor Gay, Personal Commissioning Manager, Mulliner elaborates:
“Up to 80 percent of Arnage customers specify Mulliner features. Mulliner is completely dedicated to fully understanding their requirements and to delivering a bespoke experience and a uniquely high level of personal service.”
Arnage Final Series is available in the full Bentley range of 42 exterior colours, 25 interior hides, and three veneers, plus the comprehensive line-up of Mulliner options and its bespoke colour-matching service that enable Bentley owners to create a uniquely personal car.
To help customers finalise the specification of their Arnage Final Series, the Bentley design team recommends six classic colour and trim combinations ““ Titan Grey (with Anthracite interior), Royal Ebony (with Beluga), Windsor Blue (with Windsor Blue), Meteor (with Imperial Blue), Burnt Oak (with Burnt Oak) and Black Velvet (with Burgundy).
The engine, transmission, chassis and running gear of the Arnage Final Series are identical to those previously employed in Arnage T. In this specification, Bentley’s remarkable all-aluminium 6 ¾ litre V8 engine produces 500 bhp (507PS/373kW) and 1000 Nm (738lb ft) of torque ““ figures that ensure that the legendary Bentley ‘wave of torque’ delivers effortless performance for a unique driving experience.
Acceleration to 62 mph is accomplished in 5.2 seconds (0-100km/h in 5.5 secs) with 100 mph reached in 12.1 seconds (0-160km/h in 12.0 seconds). Top speed of the Final Series is 179 mph / 288 km/h. Each V8 engine bears the signature of the team leader who oversaw its hand-built construction in the Crewe factory.
The six-speed ZF automatic transmission, first introduced for the 2007 model, ensures optimum flexibility, response and refinement. Three transmission modes (Drive, Sport and Semi-Automatic) allow the driver to take full advantage of the powerful 500 bhp V8 engine.
Significantly upgraded in 2007, the Arnage’s fully independent double wishbone front and rear suspension features coil springs with computer-controlled, adaptive electro-hydraulic dampers and automatic ride-height control with auto-load compensation. These endow the Arnage with impressive body control in all driving conditions, while the new five-spoke, two-piece 8.5J x 20-inch Sports alloy wheels with 255/40 ZR20 Pirelli P Zero tyres ““ originally developed for the Brooklands coupe – aid handling and road holding.
As an option, Final Series may be specified with carbon/silicon carbide, cross-drilled brake discs. Measuring 420 x 40 mm (front) and 356 x 28 mm (rear), these discs are the largest fitted to any production car on sale today. With eight-piston callipers, the brakes provide impressive retardation and also give an 8 kg reduction in unsprung weight, benefiting steering response, ride suppleness and acceleration.
This lightweight braking system ensures virtually fade-free use, time after time, and superb resistance to disc distortion under high thermal conditions. Under normal use, the brake discs will last the lifetime of the car and pad life is doubled compare to the standard system.
The Traction Control system is calibrated with the aim of avoiding all unnecessary reductions in engine torque. The ESP logic system, which is set-up to allow spirited handling without any reduction in stability or safety, monitors the car’s overall stability rather than simply loss of grip to the wheels. This reduces the amount of intervention required and restores power earlier and more progressively, allowing the power of the V8 engine to be fully exploited.
Commenting on the final chapter of the Arnage story, Stuart McCullough, Member of the Board, Sales and Marketing, says:
“The Final Series is the perfect model to give our Arnage flagship a splendid send off. Handcrafted at Crewe, this exclusive run of 150 cars represents the ultimate expression of Bentley luxury and effortless power.”
