Turbo R v Arnage
Discussion
Despite the price difference I'm interested in the relative merits of these two models and how they compare, specifically across the following criteria:
(1) Character/charisma;
(2) Build quality;
(2) Driving characteristics;
(3) Reliability & running costs;
(4) Ownership experience.
To be a little more fair I'm interested in comparing a post-'93 Turbo R to the earlier Arnages at the lower end of their price bracket.
Tim
(1) Character/charisma;
(2) Build quality;
(2) Driving characteristics;
(3) Reliability & running costs;
(4) Ownership experience.
To be a little more fair I'm interested in comparing a post-'93 Turbo R to the earlier Arnages at the lower end of their price bracket.
Tim
A good mate bought an Arnage a good few years back.
The Turbo R has that traditional smell of leather that all older RR & B's have.
The Arnage does not smell at all.
The type face on the guages are just not in keeping with a Bentley.
The Arnage just did not feel special the way the Turbo R does.
I said to my mate at the time, you should have bought a Turbo R. His reply. I don't want to be driving yesterdays newspaper.
The Turbo R has that traditional smell of leather that all older RR & B's have.
The Arnage does not smell at all.
The type face on the guages are just not in keeping with a Bentley.
The Arnage just did not feel special the way the Turbo R does.
I said to my mate at the time, you should have bought a Turbo R. His reply. I don't want to be driving yesterdays newspaper.
The Turbo R was coming to the end of its run when the Arnage was launched and whilst I do not have a Turb R I do have a Continental R which was also in its final years at the launch of the Arnage.
I also have an Arnage T which reflects the development of cars over a 12 year period since the Turbo R was launched.
If you choose an Arnage go for a 2002 model or later which has the 6.75 litre engine but with the updated twin turbo and engine management.
As far as appearance is concerned its a bit like women. Some you fancy and some you don't! If its the Turbo R you fancy then go for it.
For my money the Continental R is a better looking car than the Arnage or the Turbo R but its all down to personal taste.
Paul
I also have an Arnage T which reflects the development of cars over a 12 year period since the Turbo R was launched.
If you choose an Arnage go for a 2002 model or later which has the 6.75 litre engine but with the updated twin turbo and engine management.
As far as appearance is concerned its a bit like women. Some you fancy and some you don't! If its the Turbo R you fancy then go for it.
For my money the Continental R is a better looking car than the Arnage or the Turbo R but its all down to personal taste.
Paul
Penguinracer said:
Paul - how did you get on with the 456 by comparison?
A Bentley is a luxury locomotive & your expectations are of that weight & solidity but the 456 must have been interesting - very fast but not particularly light either.
The 456 was a terrific car with a higher max than either of the Bentleys although they both have huge mid range torque, particularly the T. The advantage of the Bentleys is that you can just waft along which suits my wife whereas in the Ferrari you felt honour bound to drive everywhere flat out!A Bentley is a luxury locomotive & your expectations are of that weight & solidity but the 456 must have been interesting - very fast but not particularly light either.
The trouble is you can't keep all the cars you like. I have always tried them for a bit and then moved on.
Paul
WelshBentleyBoy said:
The Turbo R was coming to the end of its run when the Arnage was launched and whilst I do not have a Turb R I do have a Continental R which was also in its final years at the launch of the Arnage.
I also have an Arnage T which reflects the development of cars over a 12 year period since the Turbo R was launched.
If you choose an Arnage go for a 2002 model or later which has the 6.75 litre engine but with the updated twin turbo and engine management.
As far as appearance is concerned its a bit like women. Some you fancy and some you don't! If its the Turbo R you fancy then go for it.
For my money the Continental R is a better looking car than the Arnage or the Turbo R but its all down to personal taste.
Paul
I have spent the last six / seven months trying to determine which of these cars I should go for and have finally reached my decision after test driving a selection that included a Turbo R, a Continental R and Arnage variants (Red Label and T). The result is that I will become the owner of an Arnage T next Monday, however, it really wasn't an easy choice.I also have an Arnage T which reflects the development of cars over a 12 year period since the Turbo R was launched.
If you choose an Arnage go for a 2002 model or later which has the 6.75 litre engine but with the updated twin turbo and engine management.
As far as appearance is concerned its a bit like women. Some you fancy and some you don't! If its the Turbo R you fancy then go for it.
For my money the Continental R is a better looking car than the Arnage or the Turbo R but its all down to personal taste.
Paul
The Turbo R was a very enjoyable car to drive benefiting from a very smooth ride and an extremely comfortable cabin all round. I also felt that this car offered very good value for money at current prices. However, my impression of the Turbo R was that the general styling and shape of the vehicle was very angular and a little dated as a consequence.
The Continental R, which was considerably more expensive than the Turbo R, provided an equally enjoyable driving experience and offered not dissimilar levels of comfort for the driver when located behind the wheel, nonetheless, whilst getting into the rear seats was reasonably straightforward it wasn't the same story when getting out, particularly if you are slightly overweight and the wrong side of 50! This car was definitely the most attractive of the vehicles, it just looks fantastic. I would also expect this car to be the one that would prove to be the best longterm investment opportunity.
The Arnage Red Label was in my view a very attractive car to look at, both inside and out, it was very well finished other than for the fact that it had stick on chrome strips along the side of the car which I didn't care for (this was also one of my few criticisms of the Continental R). It definitely left a positive overall impression when driving on both main roads and local lanes.
The Arnage T was the final car that I drove and the difference in the driving experience over the Red Label was not enormous, but I did prefer the finishing touches that were incorporated in the vehicle, i.e. the quilted leather seat and door finishes, plus the turned alloy decal around the speedo etc,. It was also pleasing that there was no chrome trim attached to the exterior of the doors and on the car that I am buying the interior doesn't have the alloy door capping treatment but is simply wood.
In truth, I suspect that the car I have purchased will be the one that will see the greatest degree of depreciation in value, however, I have decided that I need the car to have four doors and have been swayed by the driving experience combined with the look of the car. Once I have got some pictures of the car I will post them up.
Edited by 12 POT on Friday 28th November 14:21
Glad to hear you have taken the plunge. I hope you enjoy the car as much As I enjoy my T.
A couple of small tips.
1. If the throttle is a little sensitive, disconnect the negative lead from the battery for about 20 minutes. This will reset the adaptive throttle control which then adjust to your style of driving.
2. Don't worry if the auto ride control light comes on. They are very sensitive to voltage but if they come on they only default to a firm ride. If the smaller battery is at or near the end of its life this can cause it as well
3. Get the tracking done on the car which will save tyre wear on the front wheels. Find a tyre depot who has the equipment to do this. Its about £60 but a dealer charges £200.
Above all enjoy it and please post some pictures.
A couple of small tips.
1. If the throttle is a little sensitive, disconnect the negative lead from the battery for about 20 minutes. This will reset the adaptive throttle control which then adjust to your style of driving.
2. Don't worry if the auto ride control light comes on. They are very sensitive to voltage but if they come on they only default to a firm ride. If the smaller battery is at or near the end of its life this can cause it as well
3. Get the tracking done on the car which will save tyre wear on the front wheels. Find a tyre depot who has the equipment to do this. Its about £60 but a dealer charges £200.
Above all enjoy it and please post some pictures.
Yes, I think they got the interior sorted in the T
but....
but....
12 POT said:
The Arnage Red Label was in my view a very attractive car to look at, both inside and out, it was very well finished other than for the fact that it had stick on chrome strips along the side of the car which I didn't care for (this was also one of my few criticisms of the Continental R). It definitely left a positive overall impression when driving on both main roads and local lanes.
I haven't seen any chrome strips stuck on the side of the Continental R - could these have been a retro fit?Edited by 12 POT on Friday 28th November 14:21
matt5791 said:
Yes, I think they got the interior sorted in the T
but....
Hi Matt5791,but....
12 POT said:
The Arnage Red Label was in my view a very attractive car to look at, both inside and out, it was very well finished other than for the fact that it had stick on chrome strips along the side of the car which I didn't care for (this was also one of my few criticisms of the Continental R). It definitely left a positive overall impression when driving on both main roads and local lanes.
I haven't seen any chrome strips stuck on the side of the Continental R - could these have been a retro fit?Edited by 12 POT on Friday 28th November 14:21
I am unsure whether, or not, these items were a retro fit but I saw them on two vehicles that I viewed. In each case the chrome strip ran along the length of the sill, sitting just below the bottom of the doors, and in each case one could see that they were coming away form the body in certain areas.
The other slightly disappointing and rather unsightly feature on one of the Continental R's were the small black plastic triangles, located at the back corner of each of the side windows where they taper down towards the rear of the car. These particular items appeared to be severely cracked and looked likely to deteriorate further and whilst I suspect that these are relatively minor issues I was genuinely surprised to see that these spectacular cars faced problems of this sort.
Edited by 12 POT on Saturday 29th November 21:49
Ahh, yes, below the doors, yes there is a chrome strip there - well, polished stainless steel. When you mentioned it I just had this vision of something at waist height. It is present on my car and it was an original fitting.
I don't seem to be suffering the problems you saw though - the strips seem in good shape as do the real triangles, both items kind of blend into the car.
I don't seem to be suffering the problems you saw though - the strips seem in good shape as do the real triangles, both items kind of blend into the car.
Edited by matt5791 on Saturday 29th November 23:34
matt5791 said:
Ahh, yes, below the doors, yes there is a chrome strip there - well, polished stainless steel. When you mentioned it I just had this vision of something at waist height. It is present on my car and it was an original fitting.
I don't seem to be suffering the problems you saw though - the strips seem in good shape as do the real triangles, both items kind of blend into the car.
I am sure that the condition of these items would be down to the way in which the cars that I saw have been treated in the course of their lives. Glad to hear that your car hasn't got the problems that I witnessed. I only wish that I could have purchased another two door car, however, I need a vehicle with four doors as my youngest daughters are no longer at an age when it is sensible to transport them around in the back of two door cars. The other issue with which I would be faced would be getting a Continental R into my garage and then physically getting out of the vehicle, I struggle with my DB7's due to the length of their doors and the space required to open the door sufficiently in order to exit the cars.I don't seem to be suffering the problems you saw though - the strips seem in good shape as do the real triangles, both items kind of blend into the car.
Edited by matt5791 on Saturday 29th November 23:34
12 POT said:
I am sure that the condition of these items would be down to the way in which the cars that I saw have been treated in the course of their lives. Glad to hear that your car hasn't got the problems that I witnessed. I only wish that I could have purchased another two door car, however, I need a vehicle with four doors as my youngest daughters are no longer at an age when it is sensible to transport them around in the back of two door cars. The other issue with which I would be faced would be getting a Continental R into my garage and then physically getting out of the vehicle, I struggle with my DB7's due to the length of their doors and the space required to open the door sufficiently in order to exit the cars.
Yes, there is a practicality issue - the Continental R is really tricky for me to use since September - when we had the 3rd baby arrive. Before, I could put two child seats in the back, but there is, of course, no centre three point seat belt in the Continental so no chance of taking the three of them in the back.I dont have the centre seat piece either, which you put in place of the rear centre console.
12 POT said:
I have spent the last six / seven months trying to determine which of these cars I should go for and have finally reached my decision after test driving a selection that included a Turbo R, a Continental R and Arnage variants (Red Label and T). The result is that I will become the owner of an Arnage T next Monday, however, it really wasn't an easy choice.
The Turbo R was a very enjoyable car to drive benefiting from a very smooth ride and an extremely comfortable cabin all round. I also felt that this car offered very good value for money at current prices. However, my impression of the Turbo R was that the general styling and shape of the vehicle was very angular and a little dated as a consequence.
The Continental R, which was considerably more expensive than the Turbo R, provided an equally enjoyable driving experience and offered not dissimilar levels of comfort for the driver when located behind the wheel, nonetheless, whilst getting into the rear seats was reasonably straightforward it wasn't the same story when getting out, particularly if you are slightly overweight and the wrong side of 50! This car was definitely the most attractive of the vehicles, it just looks fantastic. I would also expect this car to be the one that would prove to be the best longterm investment opportunity.
The Arnage Red Label was in my view a very attractive car to look at, both inside and out, it was very well finished other than for the fact that it had stick on chrome strips along the side of the car which I didn't care for (this was also one of my few criticisms of the Continental R). It definitely left a positive overall impression when driving on both main roads and local lanes.
The Arnage T was the final car that I drove and the difference in the driving experience over the Red Label was not enormous, but I did prefer the finishing touches that were incorporated in the vehicle, i.e. the quilted leather seat and door finishes, plus the turned alloy decal around the speedo etc,. It was also pleasing that there was no chrome trim attached to the exterior of the doors and on the car that I am buying the interior doesn't have the alloy door capping treatment but is simply wood.
In truth, I suspect that the car I have purchased will be the one that will see the greatest degree of depreciation in value, however, I have decided that I need the car to have four doors and have been swayed by the driving experience combined with the look of the car. Once I have got some pictures of the car I will post them up.
Really interesting review this. Thanks for taking the time to write it up. All the cars mentioned are on my radar and I seem to have the bentley bug again. If I did buy one it will probably be the Arnage T as well. The trouble is the 456M will have to go as a result. That'll be hard!
The Turbo R was a very enjoyable car to drive benefiting from a very smooth ride and an extremely comfortable cabin all round. I also felt that this car offered very good value for money at current prices. However, my impression of the Turbo R was that the general styling and shape of the vehicle was very angular and a little dated as a consequence.
The Continental R, which was considerably more expensive than the Turbo R, provided an equally enjoyable driving experience and offered not dissimilar levels of comfort for the driver when located behind the wheel, nonetheless, whilst getting into the rear seats was reasonably straightforward it wasn't the same story when getting out, particularly if you are slightly overweight and the wrong side of 50! This car was definitely the most attractive of the vehicles, it just looks fantastic. I would also expect this car to be the one that would prove to be the best longterm investment opportunity.
The Arnage Red Label was in my view a very attractive car to look at, both inside and out, it was very well finished other than for the fact that it had stick on chrome strips along the side of the car which I didn't care for (this was also one of my few criticisms of the Continental R). It definitely left a positive overall impression when driving on both main roads and local lanes.
The Arnage T was the final car that I drove and the difference in the driving experience over the Red Label was not enormous, but I did prefer the finishing touches that were incorporated in the vehicle, i.e. the quilted leather seat and door finishes, plus the turned alloy decal around the speedo etc,. It was also pleasing that there was no chrome trim attached to the exterior of the doors and on the car that I am buying the interior doesn't have the alloy door capping treatment but is simply wood.
In truth, I suspect that the car I have purchased will be the one that will see the greatest degree of depreciation in value, however, I have decided that I need the car to have four doors and have been swayed by the driving experience combined with the look of the car. Once I have got some pictures of the car I will post them up.
Really interesting review this. Thanks for taking the time to write it up. All the cars mentioned are on my radar and I seem to have the bentley bug again. If I did buy one it will probably be the Arnage T as well. The trouble is the 456M will have to go as a result. That'll be hard!
Edited by 12 POT on Friday 28th November 14:21
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