Posted on Thursday 24 April 2008
Bentley has achieved record sales and profits on the back of its Continental GT and Flying Spur models but that doesn’t mean it’s forgotten its flagship Arnage, which is set to be replaced in 2010 by an all-new model. The car is starting to show its age against modern ultra-luxury rivals like the Rolls Royce Phantom and Maybach saloons but testing of the new model is well underway outside the carmaker’s headquarters in Crewe, England.
The new model will be based off a heavily revised version of Audi’s modular platform used for a host of models ranging from the A4 sedan up to the next A8 flagship. However, the Arnage will feature its own unique powertrain and will be strictly RWD. There are rumors Bentley may introduce a new diesel engine in the next Arnage range but the engine option is most likely to be a petrol unit.
Bentley also has a number of options in the Volkswagen Group parts bin, including both V10 and V12 units, and we could also see a new seven-speed dual clutch gearbox appear in the new model. A high-performance Arnage T is also in the works but don’t expect it to feature the Bugatti Veyron’s W16 engine as previously rumored.
Below you’ll find spy images of an Arnage prototype, revealing a number of important clues about the future model. The extra-wide B-pillar indicates a longer wheelbase for the 2010 model and a slightly wider track should ensure a more dynamic drive than the current car.
it’s a shame, I’ve like to see these big boats that sell for huge sums of money to go the route of the lightning or fisker: hybrid, and more electric than mechanical.
what in gods name are you getting for this sum of money but a road going battle ship anyways? eats up a bunch of gas, needs 3 spotters in order to park, needs a tug boat if it breaks down, and is designed for an operating life of 40 years.
I know people in this category arent exactly concerned with “bang for the buck” but if i were spending this much money on a car that ISNT intended to give me whiplash, then I’d expect more from the drive train than just “heres a massive engine to push your massive car”.
wasn’t bentley the one that said they would reduce their emissions by 40% or something stupid like that? huge weight reductions, more efficient engines.. etc.
THIS is where the technology of the future should be coming from. these guys. dont sell me a 300k car that has a hood ornament that retracts. give me something useful.
dont sell me on an ultra smooth and quiet V12. Electric drive will be INFINITELY quieter AND smoother.
You’re right Bentley did say they would cut emmisions and get like 45mpg or something by 2012….off on the right track then.
It will be good to move away from the 6.75 V8 though that drinks fuel for breakfast,,,wouldn’t be suprised to see the GT’s engine in this although with more torques and less speed
I don’t think people who are in the market for a Bentley cares about fuel economy or cost at all, otherwise they’ve gone and bought a hybrid. Bentley has always being excessive. Huge, heavy, big engined, powerful… etc. Buagtti himself one said Bentley is the fastest lorry in the world
alan; I can assure you that if I had this kind of money, I’d have to shoot myself for wasting so much money on such an ordinary (and ugly) car.
its not about fuel economy or cost. its about value and technology, and actually getting what you pay for. there’s no more technology in one of these than there is in a ford taurus. just an extra tonne of engine and sheet metal. so whats the point?
everyone says “theyre smooth and luxurious”… sure… thats why i bring up the plug in gasoline electric hybrid from fisker. its a huge coach, just like this,.. but it looks HOT, and it goes 100 miles on a single charge, before it even turns on the motor. whats more luxurious than a car that has no engine making noise and vibrations?
nothing.
Well I’ve always been giving the Arnage the benefit of the doubt, but after seeing one on the road yesterday… well.. hahahahahaa - it looks like a freakin shoebox, I mean comethehellon, seriously? thats what people are paying for? a shoebox with a wood interior? I seriously doubt that its any more comfortable then a 7 Series or an S Cass so I guess all their paying for is a emblem on the front and the back…
fools
Chris, i beg to differ though. Part of the appeal of Bentley surely must be some sportiness and some engine noise. Engine noise are very meticulously tuned these days. If luxury buyers just want quietness, then they can always get a Lexus LS460. Instead, they want a special experience, and a brand full of heritage
I don’t know.. its all rediculous to me. for that price you could encourage technological advancement, and fit a stellar custom audio setup that will make you think there’s a low rumbly engine up front.
see my harsh criticism for these guys is well founded: i want to see them survive through the next 40 years. a brand like this where people would pay that much just to know it was made by a certain company… well thats the situation that you have to take advantage of.
it’s like my suggestions for bugatti’s next model. make it a marvel of engineering at the FUNDIMENTAL LEVEL. I dont want a V10 monster on a barge, even if it is done impeccably. I’m sure it’s impressive. but what else in this world will make you (and everyone around you) go “wow” than a car that moves unlike any other car.
You have all missed the point! There is ZERO sense of occasion in a Lexus or electric car. Quiet and no noise = dull and boring! BMW once said it could build a silent car , no problem , but people want to hear turbines , sounds , engineering excellence. Bentley is pursuing both hybrid and renewable fuel technology however the planet is in danger from CHEAP cars NOT Expensive ones! The amount of Bentley cars on the road is negligible compared to the thousands and thousands of disposable Hondas and Toyotas and what about the hundreds of thousands of parts miles delivering to these so called “hybrid” and “green” Manufacturers. Bentley produce in a small factory in England , not across vast sites on EVERY continent and their production volumes peak in the second year unlike others that rise and rise and rise.GTC 40% Less this year, GT 35% Less.
Think a bit more boys!!
you’re right chris, you dont know and you dont get it. So go hug another tree.