Understated Elegance

DETROIT — It's hard not to cause some Rust Belt rubbernecking here when you're behind the wheel of one of the most-exclusive cars on the planet: the ''03 Bentley Arnage R.

Bentley only sold a grand total of 1,116 cars last year worldwide, 925 of which were the Arnage. A mere 331 Arnages sold in North America.

So while it's bound to be noticed, there's more than a fancy grille and unprecedented stature to this work of art on four wheels.

The beauty begins with the Arnage R's exterior, which is timeless yet modern. The trademark large center-front grille is flanked by equally identifiable round headlamps.

The side profile follows the “understated elegance” theme Bentley cherishes.

Where the Arnage R exudes luxury is in the cockpit, where everything is hand-covered in fine Connolly leather, bird's-eye maple and custom Wilton carpeting.

While the rest of the industry talks about getting interiors right, Bentley sets the benchmark. The gaps between panels are miniscule and the look is pure opulence. Attention to detail is impeccable. The headliner is leather, the A- and B-pillars are wrapped in leather and the trunk fully carpet-lined.

Air vents are made of high-grade steel, and the shiny pullout airflow knobs are modeled after old-fashioned aircraft controls. Every surface is high grade.

Pull into an upscale shopping mall and the pampered car gets parked just outside the door by the valet. Drop in at a fashionable restaurant and watch the attendants fight over who's going to park the car. It's instant “I'm-a-terribly-important-person” gratification.

Opulence isn't the only luxury found on the Arnage R: power is another. This 5,699-lb. (2,585-kg) monster is shoved by a twin-turbo 6.75L V-8 that makes 400 hp at 4,000 rpm and 616 lb.-ft. (835 Nm) torque at 3,250 rpm. The 0-to-60 mph (97 km/h) time, incredibly, is just 5.9 seconds, according to Bentley's figures. As with the rest of the car, the engine is hand-built, with a number plate placed below the engine block signed by the engine's builder.

The power is transferred to the rear wheels via a 4-speed 4L80E automatic transmission made by General Motors Corp., the only transmission capable of managing the mighty torque, Bentley says.

The suspension is in a class by itself. Highway ride is very smooth, while city driving is a pleasantry. It should be, after all: The Arnage R rings in at $220,000, roughly the average price of a suburban home.

Even at that tariff, there are glaring feature omissions. There's no DVD system for the rear-seat occupants, and the navigation system, which has a screen that folds into the instrument panel, looks like an afterthought.

Editor Drew Winter's wife instantly fell in love with the Bentley, whose “classic” upright lines, he says, “signal a ‘real’ European luxury car to her.

“The test drive became an event at our house. My wife was waiting, (she's never waiting). We picked up friends, went out to dinner, commanding respect and awe every inch of the way. That's what it's all about. This car confers power, respect and even a little fame to any putz able to drive it.”

Asia-Pacific Editor Katherine Zachary was more sanguine: “I don't know what I expect from a $220,000 car. Perhaps Harry Potter-like powers of levitation to lift me over the rush hour traffic or a hot-towel dispenser in the glove box.”

None of that was forthcoming, but Zachary nonetheless was rubbed with the Bentley's special presence.

“Animated whispering ensued after I — hardly your typical Bentley owner — strolled into Starbucks after snagging a primo parking spot.

“After several uncomfortable minutes of being stared at, I was approached. “‘I've just got to ask — how does that thing drive?’”

She then siezed the opportunity to perpetuate one of the many stereotypes regarding the wealthy. “Oh,” she sighed dismissively. “It's absolutely sublime.”