Modern Classics: ‘Twins’ Bentley Arnage and Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph

The Bentley Arnage was launched in 1998 and latest until 2009. Photo: Bentley

The Bentley Arnage and Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph herald from the golden years of the late 1990’s as both were introduced in 1998 and were the latest twins of Vickers, the then owner of both marques.  

Essentially everything was identical except for the grille and bonnet pressings, with the Rolls-Royce getting the Spirit of Ecstasy and the timeless radiator grille.

These two cars replaced the previous long-in-the-tooth models that had been in existence since 1980 for both Rolls-Royce and Bentley. These models were needed to modernise both brands and arguably the latest 1998 shapes were still behind where they could be in terms of fuel economy and running costs. But at the top end of town, that was little worry for owners’ conscience.

However in 1998, just as both models hit the market, Vickers sold Rolls-Royce to BMW and Bentley to Volkswagen Group. 

The Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph was built from 1998 to 2002 with only 1570 made. Photo: Rolls-Royce

BMW paid £40 million to licence the Rolls-Royce name and grille, while VW paid £430 million for the Crewe factory. Under the arrangement VW would continue to manufacture Rolls-Royce’ until 2002 and thereafter this responsibility would revert to BMW.

Consequently the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph is an especially short-lived model gracing the streets from1998 to 2002 and with only 570 examples in existence, before the Phantom came into existence in 2003. The Arnage, meanwhile would live on until 2009 before being superseded by the Mulsanne.

For the Arnage, engines started off with the 4.4-litre turbocharged Bentley V8 good for 260kW. Meanwhile Rolls got BMW’s V12 out of the 760iL. Both engines suited each cars’ personality with the Arnage channeling the sporty moneyed executive who might actually drive the car, whereas the Rolls was more for “sir and madam” to be driven in. Both engines scored a four-speed GM.

Bentley was concerned with being reliant on Rolls-Royce for its 4.4-litre V8 so in 1999 it switched back to the 6.75-litre,16 valve Rolls Royce engine, good for 298kW, from Vickers, with the five speed ZF automatic transmission replaced this in 1999. This engine had previously been in the Turbo R and Turbo RL and these two models in the mid 1980’s and had really started to uptick interest in Bentley as a sports luxury company and sales surged.

The Bentley Arnage R was released in 2002 with a 6.75-litre V8 engine. Photo: Bentley

The 6.75-litre V8 introduction saw the Bentley Arnage Red Label as the 1999 model, and this would become the “R” in 2002 while there would also be a 335kW “T” in the same year. This engine was a relatively simple 16 valve single turbocharger pushrod engine

Interestingly, to hedge bets, Bentley also ran the BMW 4.4-V8 engine concurrently as the Bentley Arnage Green Label. With the 32 valve double overhead camshafts twin turbo and Bosch underpinnings, despite putting out 260kW, it was 272kg lighter and really the better car. But the Green Label was phased out in 2000.

For the final two years the Arnage had a major upgrade, with revised headlights and the “R” getting the “T” engine upgrades and the “T” moving up to 373kW and an unbelievable 1000nm torque (then a record). It also scored a modern six speed ZF automatic transmission. 

The Seraph got got BMW’s V12 out of the 760iL., unlike the sprightly Arnage. Photo: Supplied

The Arnage and Silver Seraph are odes to an era of “restrained most design indulgence“ where Vickers needed to modernise but was cash strapped. However, it still got two beautiful cars to the market that received great feedback in terms of “grace with performance”. 

Really, for BMW and VW, the Arnage and Silver Seraph were a compromise of what they both really wanted. This would be rectified with the gigantic Phantom for Rolls and a more modern Mulsanne for Bentley.  And so closed a beautiful chapter of motoring from 1998 to 2009 for the Bentley Arnage and just 1998–2002 for the Rolls-Royce Seraph.

TradeMe features three beautiful models of the Arnage and all are imports.  Bentleys of this ilk will always be great cars to take ownership of with low kilometres and little use, but repair bills can be high. It’s rare to see the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph though and there are none in New Zealand.