Bentley teases an Arnage extreme makeover

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Ahh, Bentley, coach builders of some of the finest automobiles known to landed gentry, err, man. We recently had a chance to drive the ‘stupendously awesome’ 2010 Bentley Continental GTC, which, in our humble opinion, would be what we would drive if A) we were some sort of billionaire playboy, which we aren’t, or B) rich beyond our wildest dreams, which, again, we are not.

The $231,000 and up GTC, with its 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged, 600 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque W12 engine is a monster, if the monster in question wore bespoke leather pants and a shirt made of the finest woolens hand sewn by the best English tailors. And describing what it’s like to drive the GTC Speed is like explaining creme brulee to someone who’s lived their entire lives on tapioca pudding in a plastic cup.

While the Bentley Continental lineup of cars -- Continental GT Coupe, Continental GTC Convertible and the Flying Spur Sedan, plus an array of tricked out “Speed” models -- litter the streets of Beverly Hills, the one soft spot, technologically speaking, was the literal granddaddy of them all, the Arnage, an awesome piece of machinery -- for 1983.

The Arnage is redolent of drinks at the bar of the Hotel Bel-Air, all sumptuous woods, leather and rich men and their trophy wives. Which, to us, sounds like pretty good work, if you can get it.

Bentley has finally rectified this, and debuting this summer comes its all-new grand sedan. Designed, engineered and built in Crewe, England, Bentley says ‘it will be the purest expression of the Bentley spirit.’

Expect pricing to be absurdly expensive, but remember this, you can sleep in your car, but you can’t drive your house.

For more info, check out the new microsite which teases with a Web video and a screen shot.

-- Jon Alain Guzik

Jon Alain Guzik is editor in chief at Driverside.com