The last great hurrah for the all-British Bentley, the Arnage was a tour de force of power, engineering and traditional coach-building values of the highest order – even more so in ‘Mulliner’ form – which boasted an even higher level of equipment and attention to detail. Armed with the venerated 6.75-litre Bentley V8 in a 500bhp state of tune, the 2.5-tonne beast was – and remains – capable of almost 180mph. And even on fairly twisty roads, its electronically managed suspension made it as agile as machines half its size while all the comforts the great name promised were on hand to enjoy. What’s not to love.

A very comprehensive service history – as well as a stamped service book – show the Arnage to have been very well maintained throughout its lifetime. As well as ongoing servicing, any faults that have developed have been quickly rectified – by Bentley specialists.
Under its present ownership, and in the last six months, the car has had more than £4,000 spent on light refurbishment. Work done has included;

Finished in gleaming Diamond black and sitting on 19in split-rimmed alloys, the Bentley is an arresting sight. The bodywork is in beautiful condition with the paintwork retaining the deepest shine all over. Black can be unforgiving - but there are no blemishes of any significance – certainly no polishing swirls or nail marls around door handles.

The car’s flanks remain straight and the body panels smooth with even and narrow gaps between. All doors and lids open without groaning or sagging. The deep spoilers/valance maintains the bodywork’s smooth lines, hugging the contours of the coachwork closely. All the light clusters are bright and clean, and the black mesh radiator grill detail (a special order item) is in fine shape. There is no gravel rash to the nose.

The restrained use of chrome is a very attractive feature of the car, lending just the right accents to the car’s overall form. The brightwork retains a deep luster, and shows no signs of pitting or discolouration. The windscreen surround and window trims remain straight with clean joins in the metal. Again, door handles are free of scratches and are firmly mounted. The Flying B is a nice touch.

With the name Mulliner emblazoned on the chrome sill protectors, you would expect the car to be lavishly appointed and superbly executed. It is. The ‘Beluga Black’ leather with its distinctive quilted pattern in the seat cushions remain a lovely feature of the car. The hides are in excellent shape, showing only light creasing and a gentle patina. The seats retain all of their colour in both front and back. Seat panels and cushions are well defined and firm. The stitching remains a nice contrasting feature – clean and tight – while the embroidered Flying-B logos are bright with crisply defined detail.

The door panels, arm rests and handles have obviously been afforded the same level of care and respect, their condition being of the same high standard. 

The high-gloss piano black fascia and its inset chromed buttons and switches remain an impressive feature of the car. Everything works and its nice to see items that are no longer useful – the armrest-installed mobile phone – are still respected and kept in good order. The hifi is the original item and the car even retains the remote for the factory-fitted satnav. Controls still very much in use – gear stick and steering wheel – remain very presentable, showing only light signs of use.

Elsewhere around the cabin, the headlining, mats and carpets are clean and stain-free. The headlining is taut, while the mats show neat bound edges. Understandably, that on the driver’s side is a little more worn.

In general, the cabin remains very worthy of the name Mulliner.

The underside of the Bentley looks to be very healthy, with that deep front spoiler showing no cracks and remaining remarkably free of any major scuffs. Moving underneath the car, the undertrays show no signs of damage or corrosion (save for the odd bolt head). 

The exhausts are fine, and there is no corrosion or cracking where they exit the rear valance. The undersides of the doors are very clean and again, the outer rubbers and seals are in excellent condition. Suspension components, where visible, look to be in excellent health. Brakes of course are new, and those split-rim alloys very tidy.

Although a fair bit of the engine bay is obscured, the big motor itself looks to be in good shape, showing no signs of leaks, oxidation or corrosion. Everything appears to be very much intact and in its proper place. Hoses appear supple and show no signs of perishing or cracking.  

Similarly, all plastic components remain a very healthy shade of black and show no signs of cracking, heat damage or fatigue. The struts supporting the bonnet hold up the big lid without complaint, while the heat/sound insulation here appears exceptionally tidy.

For all their huge build quality, it’s the small details on these Bentley’s that can really tell you how the car has been treated, and they all seem to be saying the same thing; everything in its place and everything in working order. And such empirical observations are backed up by that very reassuring history file.

But the most enticing factor of all; it’s a black-on-black Arnage T with the best engines ever and in top-spec trim. Customer satisfaction is almost certainly assured.

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