VW's Bentley division has announced it will build a production version of the Arnage Drophead Coupe that it unveiled at the LA auto show in January.
Don't look for the Drophead (Bentley-speak for convertible) to turn up in dealerships anywhere when the factory in Crewe, England, starts bolting them together in the spring of 2006, as this is the kind of vehicle that's normally custom-built to suit some extremely rich guy's extremely particular demands.
Bentley's PR maestro in North America, John Crawford, calls the Arnage Drophead Coupe ''a true luxury four-seater convertible for the 21st Century. It is a unique blend of classic Bentley design and craftsmanship married to a high-technology platform sourced from the 2005 Model Year Arnage.''
As such, Crawford says, ''it is the perfect natural successor to the Bentley Azure, whose eight-year lifespan cemented the marque's status as the prime provider of four-seater convertibles to this sector of the market.''
Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen says consumer enthusiasm for this car did not surprise him, or at least not entirely. ''We knew that the Drophead Coupé would create quite a stir,'' says the Bentley chairman, ''because it is the most sensationally beautiful convertible with strikingly contemporary lines and an unashamed luxurious interior. Yet even we were surprised by how much demand there has been for us to put it into production.''
Paefgen believes that Bentley's customers ''obviously remembered how good our last convertible was, and naturally their expectations for this car were even higher. I'm glad to say they haven't been disappointed.''
Crawford points out that the Arnage Drophead Coupé will be the fourth new model to go on sale in just four years at Bentley, reflecting the ''incredible success of the brand since becoming part of the Volkswagen Group in 1998.'' Since 2002, he notes, Bentley has launched the all-new Continental GT Coupé, the 2005 Model Year Arnage, the four-door Continental Flying Spur, and now the Arnage Drophead Coupé.
''This convertible will be the flagship of our range,'' says Bentley's sales and marketing boss Adrian Hallmark. ''While we are excited to be able to offer our cars to a wider market thanks to our Continental series, no one should doubt that Bentley will continue to be known the world over as the creator of the world's most exclusive cars. The Arnage Drophead Coupé is a perfect example of that intent.''
The twin-turbo, 6.75-litre V-8, double-wishbone suspension and extremely rigid body structure of the Arnage provide a state-of-the-art basis for the Drophead Coupé, says Crawford.
The new model will be powered by a version of the V-8 that puts out 450 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque, both of which figures certainly qualify for the brand's old way of listing the power ratings for its engines: ''adequate.''
Bentley's design team cites the 1955 Park Ward S1 Drophead Coupé and the 1995 Azure as its main influences of its latest convertible.
Bentley's director of design, Dirk van Braeckel, says ''we wanted to reflect that heritage as directly as possible.''
Old or new, however, he says that ''the key to a four-seater convertible is that its grace and elegance is on display when the roof is down, but it shouldn't lose any of that beauty when it is raised. We think we have struck that balance with the beautiful lines of the roof.''
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Bentley's PR maestro in North America, John Crawford, calls the Arnage Drophead Coupe ''a true luxury four-seater convertible for the 21st Century. It is a unique blend of classic Bentley design and craftsmanship married to a high-technology platform sourced from the 2005 Model Year Arnage.''
As such, Crawford says, ''it is the perfect natural successor to the Bentley Azure, whose eight-year lifespan cemented the marque's status as the prime provider of four-seater convertibles to this sector of the market.''
Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen says consumer enthusiasm for this car did not surprise him, or at least not entirely. ''We knew that the Drophead Coupé would create quite a stir,'' says the Bentley chairman, ''because it is the most sensationally beautiful convertible with strikingly contemporary lines and an unashamed luxurious interior. Yet even we were surprised by how much demand there has been for us to put it into production.''
Paefgen believes that Bentley's customers ''obviously remembered how good our last convertible was, and naturally their expectations for this car were even higher. I'm glad to say they haven't been disappointed.''
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''This convertible will be the flagship of our range,'' says Bentley's sales and marketing boss Adrian Hallmark. ''While we are excited to be able to offer our cars to a wider market thanks to our Continental series, no one should doubt that Bentley will continue to be known the world over as the creator of the world's most exclusive cars. The Arnage Drophead Coupé is a perfect example of that intent.''
The twin-turbo, 6.75-litre V-8, double-wishbone suspension and extremely rigid body structure of the Arnage provide a state-of-the-art basis for the Drophead Coupé, says Crawford.
The new model will be powered by a version of the V-8 that puts out 450 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque, both of which figures certainly qualify for the brand's old way of listing the power ratings for its engines: ''adequate.''
Bentley's design team cites the 1955 Park Ward S1 Drophead Coupé and the 1995 Azure as its main influences of its latest convertible.
Bentley's director of design, Dirk van Braeckel, says ''we wanted to reflect that heritage as directly as possible.''
Old or new, however, he says that ''the key to a four-seater convertible is that its grace and elegance is on display when the roof is down, but it shouldn't lose any of that beauty when it is raised. We think we have struck that balance with the beautiful lines of the roof.''