Does Life Get Any Better?
It's like being transported into another world, one steeped in old-world tradition, unquestionable style, tasteful opulence, unsurpassed quality and breathtaking performance. It's the world of Bentley, and few, even among automotive scribes, have the opportunity of living it, if only just for the briefest of moments.
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| The opportunity to drive the recently enhanced Bentley Arnage R and T is rare even among automotive journalists. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Nevertheless the gods smiled upon me after the planets shifted, and a rare opportunity to drive the recently enhanced Bentley Arnage R and T through Northern California's serpentine coastal highway system was offered.
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| As a huge fan of the classics, the row of vintage Bentleys parked at the hotel got my heart racing. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed a stint in this year's Le Mans winner at right. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
A row of vintage Bentleys stood guard at Half Moon Bay's Ritz Carlton parking lot as I arrived in the back seat of a gorgeous black Arnage T, sending my classic loving heart into rapid palpitations when I first gazed upon them. The pounding only increased once the Bentley boys took us out on the road, first in a 1928 XR-3337 4.5-Litre, similar to the cars that raced and won Le Mans an impressive 5 times.
After a wonderfully stimulating jaunt I switched over to a 1931 YR-5091 8-Litre that produced an intoxicating exhaust note, especially when ripping up the highway at over 80 mph. But it was the 1925 UP-8014 Boat-Tailed Tourer that overwhelmed my senses. I've been driven in roaring twenties cars before, but none that offered the sense of high-speed stability and engaging agility offered in the 3-Liter Bentley.
