Luxury Goods
2005 Bentley Arnage R
Speed and style wrapped-up in a luxury supercar
Aug. 30, 2005 06:00 PM

Designed for speed as well as style enthusiasts, The Arnage R’s a sweet pleasure to drive, look at and be seen in. You can wear pajamas as you arrive at any function and people will still treat you as though you were royalty. It takes a bit of getting used to its sheer weight; even cracking a door or popping the trunk is like opening a bank vault. Though most people associate a car of this value with a chauffeur, you’ll want to navigate it yourself, it’s that much of a pleasure behind the wheel. A 6.8-liter V-8 with twin turbochargers rockets you ahead as though you’re driving a sports car. Unlike some engines in big, heavy cars which can lag when you’re trying to step on it, the Arnage R’s monstrous furnace allows you to hurtle through space instantaneously. As you drive, your entire body is soothed, coddled and exhilarated all at once; eyes, nose, ears all get the Bentley experience. Expect plenty of attention in your neighborhood and beyond.
Handling for ’05 is better thanks to suspension improvements and the car turns more sharply than ever before, no small feat given its weight of 5,699 pounds. Bentley’s added round Xenon clear-lens headlights with integrated turn indicators, and a new hood. With a nod to 21st century technology, the car’s electronically programmed to adapt its settings to suit the road surface. A DVD entertainment system, personal computer with wireless keyboard, television set and a bevy of audio systems, including multi-CD changers and an MP3 player, are available. BMW’s Rolls Royce Phantom and Daimler-Chrysler’s Maybach may carry more heart-stopping stickers, but there is absolutely no compromise in the Arnage R’s design, speed and flash for its lesser price.