Over two tonnes of metal, wood and leather make up the Bentley Arnage, but there is no problem moving it as the driving force is the 6.75-litre twin-turbo V8 designed and produced in Crewe. Driving through a standard four-speed automatic transmission, the 400bhp can be trickled to the road in the smoothest of fashion or unloaded in one full-throttle sweep to move the vehicle in a manner most inappropriate to its gentleman's club interior. Gear choice is immaterial with a massive 615lb/ft of torque available at 3250rpm.The Arnage is the large Bentley, the historic and important link to the company's past and rich heritage before new ownership in 1998 parted it from Rolls-Royce and heralded a new and dominant future for the make. It is elegant on the outside and sumptuous on the inside, but underneath is a progressively developed all-aluminium power unit and state-of-the-art chassis technology.On the road the car is stately and surprisingly easy to place in traffic despite its size. The V8 is redlined at 4500rpm so it remains as unstressed as the occupants, as the car quietly glides on its way. The gearbox is fully automatic with no manual option so demands on the driver are minimal. The ride is smooth but never soft, the suspension software adapting to road conditions and driver input, while the brakes require more effort than anticipated to slow the vehicle gracefully.The test car was taken off the main production line to have its interior further refined in the separate Mulliner workshops. Over half of all Arnage customers specify bespoke additional work to their cars and in this instance the car was fitted with quilted seat insets giving a subtle texture to the sporty black leather interior. This was complemented by black rooflining and darkened wood, all of which is highlighted by the slightest touches of chrome edging and superb attention to detail.The Austrian-sourced hides are lovingly hand stitched in Crewe with additional cross-stitching detail taking around 11 hours per seat. The veneers are selected at source, mainly in the United States, from the root ball of their trees to guarantee the burr effect with Walnut, Chestnut, Olive Ash and Maple the popular choices. It takes 14 days to produce and finish one set of wood for the Arnage cabin. Meticulous attention to detail by each production worker is a labour of love and underwrites the commitment of the workforce to the Bentley name. Even the engineering is hand done, with only four robots in the entire production complex doing menial tasks.Each production worker is responsible for his or her own quality control, but meticulous attention to detail sees random engines totally stripped to double-check standards and selected cars accessed by shop floor supervisors and management representatives every morning. In the factory there is no escaping the focus on quality and on seeing the final product and driving it, quality permeates through every aspect of the car.With over 80 years of continual experience of building grand touring limousines, Bentley operates with one eye to the past and one to the future. The balance is perfect and far from being static. The latest Arnage has been subtly refined even after its comprehensive 2002 makeover in which the chassis was completely re-engineered.In this 2006 model there are further detail suspension changes complemented by specially-developed Pirelli P-Zero tyres which have resulted in much improved ride quality, particularly for those travelling in the rear. The latest model can also be distinguished externally from earlier cars by its twin xenon/halogen headlight units, revised bonnet, radiator shell and grille.Each car is built to order and even the standard car is detailed to the customer's preferences. There is a choice between painted and chrome radiator surrounds, while the grille can have vertical slats or traditional mesh finish. Other detailing includes chrome finishing on mirrors and rear number plate surround, while two-tone paint finishes and coachlines all contribute to the uniqueness of each car which is built only to customer order.But this historic blend of provenance, performance and excellence has its price, and if you wish to own a Bentley Arnage, you can't afford it if you need to know what it costs. Engine 6761 cc, 8 cylinders Power 450 bhp @4100 rpm Torque 645 ib/ft @1800 rpm Transmission 6 speed semi-auto Fuel/CO2 14.5 mpg / 465 g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 5.5sec Top speed 168 mph Price From £168486.00 approx Release date 01/09/2006