"The Bentley Arnage was launched in 1998, a large luxury saloon car that replaced the previous Bentley Turbo saloon. Built by Bentley Motors in Crewe, England from 1998 to 2009, the Arnage and its Rolls-Royce sibling named the Silver Seraph, were introduced in the Spring of 1998 and were the first entirely new designs for the two marques since 1980 when the Silver Spirit and Mulsanne models were introduced. In 2001, the Arnage RL, a long-wheelbase model, was launched. The extra length is added to the car at its rear doors and its C-pillar. With the standard Arnage model, the rear wheel wells butt up against the rear door frames, but with the RL they are a few inches further back. The overall effect is a larger rear area inside the car. This style of saloon stretch is sometimes called 'double-cut' in the United States, due to the two main points where the car is extended. Available only as a bespoke ('Mulliner') model, each RL is customised to the desires of the buyer. The RL, however, was also the first of a new series of Arnage’s which would finally cure the Bentley Arnage of the reliability and performance deficiencies experienced following its forced deprivation of the modern BMW engines it was designed to use. The RL's introduction saw the introduction of an entirely reworked version of the 6.75-litre, V8 engine. Where the engine used in the Red Label was a quickly and less-than-completely-satisfactorily modified version of the Turbo R's unit, the RL featured an entirely reworked version of the old 6.75-litre, V8.
This rare and desirable Arnage RL or long wheel base is one of very few second generation Arnage's produced, this example rarer still is specified with the circa £7,000+ option for the limousine rear window which is smaller than the regular window. Supplied from new in the gentlemanly understated colour combination of metallic blue with full cream leather and with what appears to be every option on the list ticked when ordered from Bentley Essex in October of 2005. This example is the standard bearer of no expense spared philosophy of care, as well as the 14 service stamps at Harwoods, the last in February of this year, the car has had a full detail in preparation for the auction. Coupled to the service booklets are invoices for the aforementioned service work and MoT certificates, along with the original two umbrellas that came with the car, the crystal glass and decanter set and the Bentley mascot bottle stopper still in the original presentation box. A rare, desirable and stunning example with a faultless service record, this is truly a car for those with true automotive taste, even a 2019 Maybach at circa £180,000 would struggle to turn heads like this example."