The first thing we noticed was the Bentley Drivers’ Club badge on the grille – and then we saw the five stickers in the windscreen; membership of the relevant owners’ club is always a good sign, an automotive amuse-bouche that hints at what’s to come.
And what we saw shortly thereafter was pretty darned good; the history file contains an award from a 2018 club concours event, and while the passage of eight years has taken its toll, the toll exacted has been reasonable.
The panels are all still excellent, for a start. Beautifully aligned, they sport impressive shutlines that are still in keeping with the Arnage’s showroom price.
The three mesh panels beneath the bumper are straight and shiny too, as is the trademark “Matrix Style” radiator grille that’s topped off by a very good Flying ‘B’ emblem.
The Silver Tempest paintwork is also still good; yes, it’s had some work over the years, and yes, like a B-List Hollywood star, you can see what’s happened and where if you peer closely, but the overall presentation is very good indeed.
The four corners and both door mirror casings are free of scuffs and scratches too, which is a good indicator as to how the Bentley’s been driven in town – and the ripple-free flanks speak of care when leaving it in public car parks.
The 19-inch, six-twin-spoke alloy wheels are in a decent shape, although the offside front and nearside rear wheels both need refurbishing – and given the expense and trouble of doing those two, you might as well get the other pair done while you’re at it as they both have small chips in their rims.
It’s not all bad news though because the tyres are matching Pirelli P-Zero though, and all have good tread.
We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.
Behind the wheels lie massive brake discs, 348mm vented jobbies on the front, and 345mm vented discs on the rear.
The lamps are all free of cracks and other damage, the badges – including the Mulliner ones on the front wings – are still bright and shiny, and the numberplates bear Jack Barclay’s name. The tinted side windows are in greats shape too, and the windscreen has a matching tint along its upper.
Oh, and the fuel filler cap is described by Bentley as being a “jewel”, a description we can’t argue with.
As for the flaws we hinted at earlier, some of the wheelarch lips are starting to rust, the offside window trim wasn’t removed when the door was painted, and the lacquer on the top of the doors is flaking off.
