Tradition can be a funny thing; it can denote years of excellence and craftsmanship. It can also hint at obstinacy toward change, and the line is fine. It’s safe to say Bentley has always been mindful of that, and VW is keeping an eye on that balance just for good measure. A couple of years back, Bentley upgraded the brakes, chassis and handling on all Arnages. To the surprise of many first-time drivers, the Arnage T behaves more like a sports car than a limo. Buckle up, push the starter button, drop the multimode ZF six-speed automatic into gear, punch it and prepare to be impressed.
Its massive, hand-assembled, twin-turbo 6.8-liter V8 pulls it with 500 horsepower at 4,200 rpm and 738 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. Despite the car’s 5,699 pounds, it launches to 60 mph in only 5.2 seconds and the top speed is 179 mph. Equally impressive is the swell of acceleration that comes with a twitch of the right foot at almost any speed. It’s hard to believe that the V8’s basic design dates back nearly half a century to 1959, when it was first featured in a Bentley.
Despite the big car’s adjustable suspension, electronic stability program (ESP) and traction control, it can’t beat physics. Given its electronics, 19-inch seven-spoke alloys and sizable ventilated brakes, it dances better than it should, but it’s still no canyon carver. Drive accordingly and you’ll have a blast.
Article by: Thomas Bey
Source: askmen.com