Royal carriage
Exclusivity, distinction and rarefied design are embodied by the Bentley Arnage range. In the English countryside, the convertible Azure and the Brooklands fixed head coupe are taken for a test drive.
A crisp and sunny autumnal day in the English countryside is one of the most beautiful places to drive a motorcar, so it is no wonder that this is home to one of the most desirable motorcars on the planet – Bentley.
I was invited to take part in a fantastic programme allowing owners and fans of the venerable English marque to experience the utterly unique attributes of their products. Bentley calls this programme ‘Power & Passion’.
So, off I set from deepest darkest Oxfordshire heading north by northwest in the latest and most exclusive Bentley convertible, the Azure. This car is truly in its element as I thread through the narrow country lanes and power up the hills using much of the available 500-brake-horsepower. It feels like the ultimate pleasure: handcrafted build quality combined with the latest engineering technology.
Inside the Azure, the acres of leather, gleaming wood and the vintage inspired chrome dials create a feeling of hand crafted old-world luxury. It is such a welcome change from the ubiquitous black plastic, cowhide and steel that you find in most contemporary supercars. The elevated ride height means you look down on most other sedans. This, combined with the supreme comfort of the suspension and seats, inspires a sense of superiority, confidence and splendid isolation. I would say it is a mix of feeling regal (the Queen and members of the royal family drive Bentleys) and debonair (James Bond’s original vehicle of choice was a Bentley). These days with David Beckham driving them and Jay Z rapping about them, Bentley is as ever associated with celebrity.
Now if what you really seek is a car to handle on a dime, then you should opt for a Continental and more specifically the Continental Speed. But if you would rather glide across the roads, the cockpit open to the world and the world looking back in a mix of awe and envy, the Azure is the car for you. Approaching three tonnes in weight and more than 5 metres in length, I am most definitely aware of the size and momentum of the car as I navigate through the narrow country lanes of rural England. The benefits of this largesse are an awesome presence combined with generous enough room for four to travel in supreme comfort.
The 4-speed automatic may not appear to stack up well against the new Lexus eight-gear box but does any Lexus come with almost 7 litres of power? Exactly. Those four gears will shift smoothly and effortlessly while the accelerator pedal feels deliberately heavy, conveying the monumental power of the Bentley’s powerplant. The 6.75 litre turbocharged v8 engine produces nearly 500bhp in the Azure T and a staggering 1,000 Nm of torque, which is considerably more than the McLaren F1. While the Bentley is clearly heavier than the McLaren, it will still propel you from 0 to 100km/h in just over 5 seconds - certainly not enough time to unpack your caviar on one of the exquisite picnic tables. Unusual in this day and age, and distinct from the Continental, the Azure engine is designed and built by Bentley, offering a reliability and performance clearly aligned with the brand.
The polished chrome of the interior dials and controls creates a refined atmosphere, and initially I hold off pushing the car to its limits. After a while, I realise that the real pleasure in driving a Bentley is enjoying the quality of the design at high speeds. So opening up the throttle I discover what a treat it is to pilot the Azure through the countryside, cushioned by confidence in it its engineering.
For those who wish to enjoy even more exclusivity, there is fixed head coupé version of the Azure, the Brooklands, which is the latest in Bentley’s line of classic grand tourers. It is destined to be a collector’s classic with a limited run of 550 cars already sold out. The Brooklands is the pinnacle of the Arnage range, capturing the luxury of the saloon with the elegant lines of a four seat coupé. The design has neatly enhanced the Arnage look with a streamlined shape that is both unique and attractive.
The Brooklands, like its convertible counterpart, the Azure, has the size and presence of two Range Rovers and as a result is best suited for avenues and open roads rather than restrictive country roads. That said I have to add it handles extremely well and with so much effortless power available, it is a pleasure to exercise your driving skills.
Bentley’s Power & Passion programme kicks off in the historic city of Chester, with a dinner bringing together an array of aficionados to talk Bentley. It is a wonderful opportunity to discuss cars with the most knowledgeable people behind some of the most beautiful automobiles in the world. Derek Bell, a 5-time winner at Le Mans, provided an energising account of his historic victory with Bentley. Richard Charlesworth, Bentley’s charismatic salesperson for Royal and VIP customers, tells stories from his time living in Kuwait where he test drove Bentley Turbos at full speed (sometimes only in reverse) during the immense heat of summer. World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen recalled the time when he broke the world ice speed record in his own Bentley Continental GT - he raced at an astonishing 320 km/h across Finland's frozen sea.
We then toured the Bentley factory in nearby Crewe, which highlights the fine expertise involved in handcrafting these cars. For example, it takes one woman a full week to cross-stitch a single car with 3,754 stitches. Similarly it will take woodworkers 17 days to complete the wooden interior for the Arnage. It is a rare privilege to witness this craft process and to see first-hand the skill with which these artisans create your masterpiece.
Bentley is particularly renowned for its bespoke commission department. Mulliner’s heritage, which started hundreds of years ago with handcrafting the coachwork for horse carriages and later horseless carriages, provides it with the skills and tradition to turn a Bentley into the ultimate tailor-made motorcar. No dream is too wild for them to turn into reality. Take for example an NBA basketball player who turned the entire interior surface from the original leather to the orange stubble of an NBA basketball, or the Queen of England who chose to replace both her latest multi-million dollar Bentleys' leather with cloth. The factory tour feeds the imagination with the endless personal possibilities. Would you like a refrigerated make-up case for your MAK products, or solid gold plating, or even your initials on the dashboard? Just name your desire. There are even bulletproofed models that offer protection from assault weapons, grenades and landmines - apparently these are quite a common commission these days.
Later on I met with the designers of the Continental series who revealed how their current Continental range honours previous models. Details such as the swooping tail were inspired by the iconic 1952 Continental and the shape of the interior dashboard tracks the Bentley emblem wings. The designers are busy preparing for the replacement of the Arnage, for which a ‘final edition’ has just been released. Bentley remains tight-lipped about this new project, but we expect the design to take luxury and engineering to a whole new level.
So it’s up and away for us lucky few as Bentley’s Power & Passion programme then shifts up a gear. Helicopters swoop in to pick us up from the playing fields of the Bentley factory. A breathtaking flight ensues as we travel across the vast estate of the Duke of Westminster, England’s largest private landowner, and over a mosaic of farmland to the Welsh border and beyond the Snowdon mountain range, to the isle of Anglesey. The island is an emerald clinging to the edge of Wales, surrounded by steep cliffs falling into the deep blue sea. On the edge of the isle perched precariously near the cliff face, in an almost secret location, is a racetrack that winds up and down the hills. The helicopter puts us down in the centre of the racetrack where a row of Bentleys awaits us.
First up was the chance to wind back the clock to the 1920s and experience the cutting edge of that era’s design and technology in a Blower Bentley - best driven wearing goggles. We were then meant to drive the legendary Speed 8, which was raced in 2003 in the 24 hours of Le Mans competition scooping a historic first and second place. Unfortunately, the engine had blown a gasket, so we go straight to the current sportster Bentleys: the Continental Flying Spur Speed and GT Speed.
Later, when I’m given a driving lesson by Derek Bell I’m reminded that all men are not created equal when it comes to the nerve and skill required to brake at the very last moment, or accelerate to the very last inch of the tire’s potential. With Bell driving, even wearing a helmet, I feel all the blood drain from my head and shades of black encroaching.
Driving on racetracks removes the many limitations of driving on roads. Driving a Bentley at full throttle round the racetrack is an unbeatable way of maxing out your own abilities, as well as those of the car. Bentley’s professional drivers do a reconnaissance lap and explain the circuit and point out the apexes of the turn and the general approach to the course as I take mental notes in the passenger seat. In particular, I take note of the couple of long straights that allow the engine to be pushed to the limits, excellent. Although Bentleys are always on the heavy side, the w12 engine generates an astonishing amount of power and it’s an extraordinary feeling to drive the 2.5 tonnes at maximum revs down the racetrack. The four-wheel drive grips the track like a vice and a 90-degree turn at the bottom of a hill generates forces enough to blur my vision. A number of other Bentleys are on the track at the same time which encourages some spirited competition and racing – this is a brilliant and rare experience – an empty racetrack save for four Continentals tearing up the circuit.
After the racing, it’s back in the helicopters for the return to the old Roman town of Chester and a drive back into town in my favoured Brooklands. As I reminisce on my wonderful time I realise that had the Roman visionaries who created this city been present day luminaries, they would have undoubtedly chosen a Bentley to travel on the roads they built.
Images: Official Bentley event photographers
