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REPORT: Bentley Arnage successor to go even further upscale, debut at Pebble Beach in August
Bentley Arnage Final Series – Click above for a high-res image galleryThe auto show circuit may be on its annual summer break, but that's not going to stop Bentley. A recent report suggests the crew from Crewe is preparing to take the wraps off its next-generation Arnage at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Monterey, California this coming August. And when it does, it'll be bigger and badder than ever.
There's no word yet regarding rumors that the Arnage's replacement could take on Bugatti's W16 or Audi's V12 TDI engines, but reports indicate that the new Arnage – aside from being, you know, new – will be bigger and further upscale from the current, aging behemoth. Apparently Bentley and their corporate overlords at Volkswagen are growing tired of watching their clientele go to arch-rival/former sister-company Rolls-Royce or (heaven forbid) Maybach, but they're still going to take their time: The next-gen Arnage isn't supposed to begin production until a year after the current model, now in its final iteration (pictured above), ceases production. At Pebble Beach we're tipped to see a pre-production prototype that promises to closely mirror the eventual production model, which is expected to take advantage of Audi's modular platform but incorporate a unique V8 engine (probably based on the current Jurassic-era 6.75-liter "perfectly adequate" V8) mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic and likely able to run on E85 ethanol to give the muscle-tank the air of environmental conscience.
[Source: AutoTelegraaf]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
zamafir 10:49AM (6/02/2009)
who cares how old that lump is, it's got tdi trumping torque :)
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Avinash machado 10:50AM (6/02/2009)
Get lost,spammer.
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bduarte 10:52AM (6/02/2009)
the newest player from Manchester United... :P
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Rev Junkie 11:34AM (6/02/2009)
Don't discriminate the Arnage's V8 just because it's so old. The Small-Block Chevy was engineered in the early fifties, but it's still around today because it is such a good engine. I'm sure many will agree if I say it is the best engine of all time. It is certainly the most popular, whether in passenger cars and trucks or as a crate engine. I had my first experience with the venerable old man yesterday. Even in a truck the size of the Titanic with the girth and aerodynamics of the factory it was built in, it used the mountains of torque to move it with surprising alacrity. I'm fairly certain it had enough torque to pull the Earth out of orbit. True, the engine was huge, displacing 5.3 liters, more than three of the engines in my car, but it still hauled the massive truck and about a half ton of wood with little protest, only needing to go up to a mere 2000 revs to move the large mass up a hill. These old fashioned pushrod engines may have been obsolete by the 60s, but what they lack in high end power and specific output, they make up for with otherworldly low-end torque (at least from the perspective of this Civic owner) and incredible durability. Not to mention the sweet fourth-order burble that is the standard for any exhaust note.
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d4rez 1:36PM (6/02/2009)
A fitting eulogy perhaps?
k.w.a 11:56AM (6/02/2009)
thank god! IMO the Arnage alone carries the class of Bentley. I love the GT and Flying Spur but they're too young money for my taste.. everytime i see one i assume it's driven by a rapper/porn mogul/drug dealer, or its rented. I don't know what it is, i just like cars that scream class.. the Arnage, Jaguar XJ, Aston Martins, love 'em!
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Visnick 12:12PM (6/02/2009)
It does need updating but the Arnage is still the most beautiful car in the uber-luxury class
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jgp 4:03PM (6/02/2009)
No kidding. The Maybach is bland and the Phantom is overwrought, but the Arnage is classy and elegant.
Other Man 5:46PM (6/02/2009)
Hope it's good! I wonder if the Maybach/Bentley/Rolls-Royce-topping Bugatti is still alive within VWAG.
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P.V. 5:41PM (6/02/2009)
I would call it the best full-size ultra-luxury car on the market. It strikes the right balance between noticeability, luxury, and class. Oh, and that venerable engine is still good as ever.
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jim 10:38PM (6/02/2009)
Maybach? Who'd buy a Maybach.
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Other Man 12:13AM (6/03/2009)
I do hope that they also return the Arnage to what it should be, which is sportier to drive and to the feel, but still with no intrusion on comfort. Think Jaguar but in a whole new world. That's what Bentley meant long ago. The Arnage is the last of what Bentley became mostly in the second half of the 20th century, a Rolls with stiffer ride and a sportier grille.
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