Head gasket replacement in 2018 at a cost of over £9,000
THE APPEAL
The Arnage was the last of the real, true V8-powered Bentleys. Vast, extremely comfortable and the absolute epitome of luxury, it ran from 1998 until 2009.
Its gestation was an interesting one. As BMW and Volkswagen battled it out over ownership of the Rolls-Royce and Bentley elements of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd business, the Crewe-based factory hedged its bets. Depending on which of the two German brands walked away with the spoils, it reintroduced the Rolls-Royce 6.75-litre V8 engine to run alongside the BMW M62 V8, not least because BMW had threatened to withdraw supply of the M62 if VW Group won the rights to Bentley (VW did – BMW didn’t…)
The BMW-powered Arnages were sold as the Green Label and the Rolls-Royce-engined ones became Red Labels.
This one is a 2000 Red Label, powered by a turbocharged derivative of the old OHV V8 and developing 400bhp. It has been impeccably maintained throughout its life via a network of well-known Bentley specialists, having covered less than 78,000 miles from new.
It’s a rare and collectable variant of the Arnage that has been the personal transport of a well-respected classic car specialist since 2018. He’s recently used the car for a pan-European holiday, covering over 3,000 miles without trouble, but is now parting with it to focus on other cars in his collection.
Service book stamped all the way to 77,419 miles in August 2023
Most recent servicing carried out by Harvey Wash Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialists in Essex, prior to that by two other highly regarded marque specialists and the main supplying dealer, Bentley Glasgow.
Original handbooks and manual
Four sets of keys
UK V5C
MOT May 2024
A4 file of old invoices, service and parts receipts
File includes a £9,000 bill to rectify the common turbo head gasket issue in 2018, giving peace of mind to the new owner
Red carpets, steering wheel, upper dash and gear selector
Lambswool over rugs
Optional electric tilt and slide sunroof
Original spare wheel with white gloves
Sport mode for the gearbox
Parking sensors
The Arnage is a truly opulent car both front and rear, and is superbly presented with no evident flaws. The seats are finished in smart piped Magnolia leather, with only minor creasing to the driver’s seat.
The dark burr walnut veneers are superb, while factory options chosen for this model include a dark red steering wheel and upper dash, matching gear selector, sat nav and a CD changer mounted in the central arm rest, however there is no disc for the sat nav.
It’s all in lovely order, with smart dark red carpets, chrome Arnage kick plates and a set of original red lambswool over rugs in the boot, along with all the original tools and spare wheel.
Chrome-finish 18-inch alloys with Pirelli P-Zero rubber
Impeccable condition
The Bentley has an imposing and quite youthful presence in its original Fireglow Metallic paint, which retains a deep and wonderful shine. It’s very well-presented with no major flaws or damage – just a few very tiny marks and scuffs commensurate with the car’s age and certainly nothing of any great importance.
It sits on chrome 18-inch alloy wheels that were a £4,000 factopry option when new. They are all in very smart order with one small scuff on the offside front and wear red Bentley centre caps, with the correct Pirelli P-Zero tyres all-round.
Underneath, the car appears to be solid where visible and the vendor reports that it is in good structural order.
Being a 2000 car, this one has the Rolls-Royce 6.75-litre V8 under the bonnet – one of the last Bentleys to do so. It’s an absolute peach of an engine and runs sweetly, with no evident issues. The vendor has driven it over 10,000 miles during his ownership with no major issues, and reports that it drives very well, with great performance, brakes, steering and handling – as you’d expect from a car that has been well-serviced and cared for throughout its life.
We drove the car a few miles for the photoshoot and can confirm that everything works as intended, including the air conditioning which performed faultlessly on one of the hottest days of the year.
Collectors are starting to take a real interest in the Arnage and the best examples are now sought after as the model is considered by many to be the last ‘true’ Bentley.
This one is absolutely wonderful – a really smart and well-presented with impressive pedigree, impeccably presented and in fine order. It’s one of the last cars of its type – a big V8 super saloon that marks the pinnacle of a now bygone era. One for the collector, and a safe long-term investment.
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This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*
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2000 Bentley Arnage Red Label
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