Bentley Arnage

Our verdict

The Bentley Arnage is the last of a dying breed and with an inimitable charm that makes it hard to resist. It has flaws, but we don’t care.

Comfort

Sit back, relax, be transported to a time before the Blackberry was invented (the gadget, that is, not the fruit). Smoke a cigar that makes you sick, work on your gout with a few glasses of port. This is one of the most comfortable cars in existence. And it's big. Really big.

Performance

Be afraid. Be very afraid. The ‘base' Arnage can tear up the tarmac with the best of them. That 6.75-litre V8 is turbo'd. Twice. That'll be 400bhp and 616lb ft of torque, 0-62mph in under 6 seconds (5.9) and on to 155mph. The Arnage ‘T' has 450bhp, 645lb ft, nips to 62mph in just 5.5 and on to nearly 170mph. And that's for something that's the size, shape and weight of a barn. Full of dead cows.

Cool

Possibly the coolest car in the world.

Quality

The Arnage is handbuilt by elves and has one of the most charismatic interiors of any car on the road and the experience is simply glorious. Sometimes they have electrical grumbles, but there are people that sort that kind of thing out. Poop, poop.

Handling

Surprisingly adept at flinging its massive bulk around the countryside, the Arnage may well surprise you with generous grip levels and tidy body control for such a big car. Get it wrong and it's a whopping great big hole in the hedge.

Practicality

You can pack a small country into an Arnage and have room for an island or two. They can be complete buggers to park, but get your man to do it.

Running costs

Hahahahahaahahaha. Ha. Sorry, this really is ‘ask: can't afford'. The Arnage ranges in price from £168,500 to £196,000 and is an unavoidable Group 20. You'll be lucky to get single figures Mpg - they only quote 13.7mpg on the combined cycle themselves.