The Arnage R was the short-lived Bentley that fell victim in the war between BMW and Volkswagen.
But it remained a masterpiece in British brand history.

At the beginning of the ’90s, Vickers Plc was the owner of Rolls-Royce and Bentley brands. It decided to refresh the old models and looked for new engines and BMW was selected. The design for both models was made in-house and the result was Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph and Bentley Arnage. While the first received a naturally aspirated 6.75-liter V12 engine, the latter got a 4.4-liter V8 upgraded by Cosworth Engineering with a pair of turbochargers.

From the outside, the Arnage looked modern when compared with its predecessor. It was sleeker, had a better aerodynamic, and its fuel-efficiency was improved. The dual headlights covered with a clear-lens was a first for Bentley. The Arnage R featured a mesh-grille, in the spirit of its former racing glory. The swept-back beltline was similar to the Seraph.

Inside, the Arnage R featured a luxurious interior with leather, wood, and aluminum. In its pure tradition, the instrument panel was flat with silver circles around the gauges. The atmosphere resembled a British gentlemen club. In the back, there was enough room for two occupants, but due to the thick front seats, the legroom was limited for tall passengers.

When the battle between BMW and Volkswagen started to get the Rolls-Royce brand, the Bavarian threatened to stop delivering the engines. Then, Volkswagen took away the 4.4-liter unit and installed the older V8 in the Arnage. But for a while, the Bentley Arnage was powered by a BMW engine and that was the Arnage R.