2005 Bentley Arnage

Being offered in the rare and highly desirable colour of Peacock Blue, ‘N999 SSN’ is a 2005 Bentley Arnage, which makes it a facelift model with the revised headlamps, bonnet, wheels, suspension, and switchgear.

The seller’s father-in-law bought it eighteen months ago from Hanwell’s of London, the independent Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialist that had been looking after the car since it left the main dealer network in 2012.

As a 92-year-old, he knew he wouldn’t be able to drive it - although he only sold his E Type two years ago and was driving that right up to the point he consigned it with us - but he’d always fancied one and asked his son-in-law if he’d be willing to chauffeur him around in it. He was, and eighteen months later the owner feels he’s achieved what he set out to do, hence this listing.*

What can we say about the Peacock Blue coachwork other than it is very nearly as good now as it was when it was new and if we were to tell you it was three years old rather than almost twenty we’re pretty sure you’d have no trouble in believing us.

Take a look at the shutlines, for example, and the alignment along the Bentley’s flanks. There are no dents, dinks, or ripples either, and everything, and we do mean everything, lines up perfectly.

Even the vulnerable areas like the four corners and the door mirrors are free of damage, and hidden areas like the fuel filler recess and the door shuts are as clean and beautifully presented as every other panel.

The lamp lenses, badges, window glass, windscreen, and honeycomb radiator grille are all very good, and the six-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels are in a fine condition being free of scuffs, scrapes and other blemishes. 

As for rubber, the front wheels are fitted with Pirelli P-Zero tyres from 2017, while the rear axle is supported by a pair of Duran tyres that were made in 2020. 

All of which means that cosmetic imperfections are few. There is light pitting to the chrome boot lock, the offside inner headlamp has condensation in it, and the rear bumper looks like it’s had some remedial work to the nearside corner.

The Arnage’s cabin was constructed of proper materials like wood and leather and metal before being decorated with chrome and lamb’s wool carpets – and if you’ve skipped ahead to the section where we talk about its servicing regimen, the fact this one is still in a stunning condition won’t come as a surprise.

And what a colour scheme it is with the Magnolia hide, deep blue carpets and a matching padded dashboard top, plus highly polished walnut conspire to create a timeless and elegant cockpit.

That said, there are plenty of 21st century conveniences like cupholders, a remote-control entertainment system, and a Sport button that tightens up the dynamics in a very satisfactory way.

Nor does it end there because those sitting in the back not only get to enjoy individually adjustable and heated rear seats, they also have walnut-framed mirrors, leather-trimmed grab handles, a walnut lighting console in the headlining, and vast legroom.

Not that those in the front have been neglected because their seats are also heated and electrically operated, and the driver has access to comprehensive information as to the car’s health and performance via a full suite of instruments. 

As for the condition, while the front seats show some very gentle creasing and a little colour loss here and there, those in the back are still almost flawless, which speaks volumes about the quality of the hide and their subsequent curation.

The carpets are very good too, as is the headlining. The sat-nav unit might be comically small compared to the sort of thing they fit these days, but it still pops up as it should and works just fine.

The boot is pretty much unblemished. Beautifully carpeted, including the boot lid, it contains factory staples like the six-disc CD multichanger, a pair of umbrellas, a full-size spare wheel, the comprehensive tool kit, a hazard warning triangle, a first aid kit, and some spare bulbs as well as a hard-wired cable for the battery conditioner.

As for work you might like to consider undertaking, we can’t see a single thing that would bother us. 

But, you might be pickier than us, in which case we still don’t think you’ll find anything that needs doing.

If you were to design the perfect Bentley servicing schedule it would probably look something like this: the supplying main dealer carrying out a service every 10,000 miles up to 60k, and then the same independent Bentley specialist seeing it every year thereafter.

• 21.09.2005 and 69 miles – pre-delivery inspection by Harwoods
• 02.11.2005 and 2,938 miles – service by Harwoods
• 13.06.2006 and 10,501 miles – service by Harwoods
• 02.01.2007 and 20,312 miles – service by Harwoods
• 16.10.2007 and 30,044 miles – service by Harwoods
• 08.08.2008 and 40,269 miles – service by Harwoods
• 11.06.2009 and 50,589 miles – service by Harwoods
• 18.03.2011 and 60,893 miles – service by Harwoods
• 22.07.2012 and 70,301 miles – service by Hanwell’s of London
• 06.02.2013 and 74,769 miles – service by Hanwell’s of London
• 25.02.2014 and 76,147 miles – service by Hanwell’s of London
• 13.06.2016 and 79,626 miles – service by Hanwell’s of London
• 20.02.2017 and 80,703 miles – service by Hanwell’s of London
• 01.02.2018 and 82,330 miles – service by Hanwell’s of London
• 30.01.2019 and 85,175 miles – service by Hanwell’s of London
• 23.01.2020 and 87,095 miles – service by Hanwell’s of London
• 27.04.2022 and 90,979 miles – service by Hanwell’s of London
• 30.08.2022 and 91,178 miles – service by Hanwell’s of London
• 09.01.2023 and 91,559 miles – service by Hanwell’s of London

As you can see, the total cost of servicing with Hanwell’s over the years tots up to £26,303 – and it even had to replace the thread on the sump with a Helicoil in 2018 because it was “worn” after being removed and refitted so often.

(While we’re on the subject, we’d love to hear from you if you’ve ever found a car with a better service and maintenance record than this!)

The V8 engine, which was built by S.A. Brown, fires straight up and settles into an immediate 700rpm tickover. It revs as unobtrusively as you would hope, and does it all with no warning lights or untoward noises.

The engine bay is decently clean without being overly prissy. Few would find fault with it but those for whom detailing is a passion will find scope to weave their magic.

The underside has the usual light surface rust on fasteners and suspension components but there’s nothing otherwise to note. Certainly, no MoT tester has ever mentioned rust or structural corrosion, which is reassuring. 

The Arnage’s MoT certificate is valid until January 2025, the recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with four previous keepers, two key fobs, and a hefty history file that includes the Bentley handbooks and wallet.

Despite the ongoing energy crisis, we can’t be alone in wondering whether we have tended to place an undue emphasis on the fuel economy of cars like this; after all, the greatest motoring cost is almost always depreciation, so if you can rule that out then the options open to you expand exponentially…

The fact that a twin-turbocharged Bentley like this can be yours for the price of a not-terribly-well-equipped Ford Fiesta might be a tired old cliché but it’s true - and no motoring adventure is going to be downgraded by being undertaken in an Arnage, is it?

That you can pick up such a car for between £16,000 and £20,000 seems incredible to us, especially when you consider this one’s impeccable service history and nigh-on flawless condition.

If, like us, you’re slightly awed by the owner’s derring do, you might be interested to learn that he was also a member of the first Oxford and Cambridge Trans-Africa team in 1954. Not one to rest on his laurels, he followed this epic feat by driving to Hong Kong in 1960 on his honeymoon. 

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am- 12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.