Sometimes the key to the future lies in the past. But in the new car industry, that doesn't normally equate, especially when it comes to powertrains: engines need to be progressively cleaner, more potent, quieter and smoother, while mated to transmissions that are ever more efficient and responsive. The 1998 Bentley Arnage promised all of this, yet in less than two years its sales had bombed and they were only saved by the installation of a 30-year-old engine for which the car was never designed, and that had very nearly been consigned to its maker's scrapheap. For Bentley, retro engineering saved its bacon.
To illustrate the sea-change that brought about Bentley's reversal of fortune - and also a radically new direction for its Crewe sibling, Rolls-Royce - we have gathered three near identically bodied cars from the two historic manufacturers. They are propelled by three completely different engines: a Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph powered by a 5.4-litre, naturally aspirated V12; a Bentley Arnage equipped with a 4.4-litre, twin-turbocharged V8; and a Bentley Arnage T using a 6.75-litre, twin-turbocharged V8. Few cars built on a common platform are as defined by their mechanical DNA as these three.
Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
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Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison
