Ultraluxury Sedans: Bentley Arnage, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Maybach 62, Brentwood Magazine, January/February 2004
The Concorde, whether viewed as a symbol of stratospheric excess or absolute necessity, delivered a level of cache unparalleled by any other form of travel. Crossing the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound and near the edge of space was, in its heyday, indisputably the most glamorous way to travel.
Saddened at the Concorde's demise, the status-starved may find consolation in the recent proliferation of breathtakingly priced, ultra-luxury automobiles. While the Concorde proved financially unviable, back on earth the market for seriously expensive sedans is in a pitched battle. Perhaps because the rich keep getting richer, and brands like BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus are more accessible than ever, the definition of exclusivity has recently undergone a dramatic makeover. Sensing a vacuum in the upper realms of the luxury arena, three marques have thrust their best JP Tod driving moccasins forward in the pursuit to build the definitive power sedan: Rolls-Royce, now owned by BMW, has revived the Phantom nameplate as the sole model in its lineup. Mercedes-Benz has resuscitated an 84 year-old brand name with the Maybach. And Bentley, now owned by Volkswagen, continues to perfect its big money sedan, the Arnage.
The race exploded in 1998 when Rolls-Royce divorced its 67 year partner, Bentley, and merged with BMW. In a feverish effort to rebuild the Rolls-Royce name, BMW assigned key designers to a retired bank building in Leeds with the task of creating a sleeker, more modern $324,000 supercar, while paradoxically preserving Rolls' legacy of refinement and grace. The fusion of Teutonic efficiency and British quirkiness accomplished the seemingly impossible task of creating a state-of-the-art automobile that also embodies the spirit of Rolls-Royces past. The result is shrouded in a starkly elegant and grandiose body whose dramatic silhouette creates a profile unlike that of any other car on the road.
While Volkswagen's reinvigoration of the Bentley brand has largely focused on the much-anticipated Continental GT sports coupe, the Arnage has remained competitive and exclusive enough to make it a worthy combatant in the struggle for ultra-luxury supremacy. Of the trio, the Arnage is the most visually familiar, amusingly due to its popularity with music videos and pro athletes. Although Bentley feels the most decidedly old school of the three, it harbors ample technology beneath its surface of traditional styling. At first glance, the Arnage's lines may not differ drastically from many six-figure luxury cars. However, the delicious design details and the exceptionally powerful engine found in the T model launch the Arnage into the rarified upper echelon, making a case for its $207,000 starting price.
If the Maybach is Mercedes' retort to Rolls-Royce and Bentley, it is delivered with the most extreme examples of excess, both in terms of luxury and technology. Though the exterior blends concept car-like flights of fantasy with subliminal references to the price-no-object cars manufactured decades ago by Wilhelm Maybach, the brand's real attractions are its flawless attention to detail, and no holds-barred technical overachievements. Maybach's two models, the 57 and 62, refer to the car's length in meters (5.7 and 6.2). While the 57 may recall an extravagantly swollen S-Class Benz with wickedly high performance, unmatched luxury lies in the $360,000 62, where limousine-scale rear-seating and first-class amenities abound.
Though conventional automotive lore suggests that Rolls-Royce is the car to be chauffeured in, the Phantom may convince you otherwise. While the elevated, "stadium style" rear seats are indeed a sacred place, the driver's seat provides more thrills than any Rolls-Royce in history. Credit Bavarian Motor Works for engineering a 6.75 liter V-12 that delivers 453 gloriously smooth horsepower in the most discreet and dignified fashion. This is a car that doesn't seem like it should be able to reach 60 MPH in 5.7 seconds, but does so effortlessly. Though the Bentley Arnage T bests that figure by 2/10ths of a second, it also purports a more overtly sporty package. Think of the Rolls as the Q-ship of the group, the flawless woman of a certain age, sporting racy Agent Provocateur lingerie beneath her Chanel suit. In keeping with its British roots, the Rolls manages to be stately with streak of cheekiness. There are enough clever features that remind you that gee-whiz engineering can be just that. Witness, for instance, the umbrellas that stow in the rear doors, or the RR logo on the wheels that always remain upright; after all, if you're spending $324,000 to get from A to B, you may as well have fun.
On the topic of fun, Bentley has occasionally been perceived as the plucky little brother to the Rolls. On the other hand, some consider the brand to be more "old money" than the double R nameplate. Recent attention (both rap music-related and otherwise) has bestowed trendy status upon the Bentley, while Volkswagen's efforts to keep the brand competitive in the 21st century ensure that the latest technology is featured in the powertrain and handling. Though the softness of the leather, the expansive wood detailing, and the chromed interior accents are all reminiscent of a gilded yesteryear, it's hard not to feel like rock royalty behind the wheel of a "winged B". Perhaps it's this year's Bentley victory at Le Mans, or their splashy six-figure coupe that seems to signal a new era for the fabled brand. Unlike the Maybach or Rolls, Bentley ownership implies a wild card, either old money or new, and a certain insouciance about flaunting lavish style.
Though exterior styling may be the most controversial aspect of the Maybach, the interior is remarkably similar to a private jet. The restraint in front cabin appointments are more than made up for in the lavish rear, particularly in the long-wheelbase 62 model. With rear seats that recline almost horizontally, the Maybach is perhaps the ultimate cross-country ride. A center console chills champagne while flute holders keep the bubbly in the crystal, not on the carpet. Note that Dom P. lovers will be left out in the cold: the holder is only equipped for standard-sized bottles, so Maybachers will have to think Clicquot or Cristal. Twenty-one speakers provide Dolby Surround sound for every passenger, and four zones of climate control prevent any unlikely complaints about discomfort. The pampered passengers can, at the touch of a button, turn the optional electrotransparent glass roof from opaque to clear. In fact, the only grumbling likely to be heard from the back seats may relate to the ceiling-mounted speedometer that betrays the breakneck speeds this car is capable of: the quickest of the three, the Maybach's twin-turbo charged V-12 propels it to 60 MPH in only 4.9 seconds, faster than a Porsche 911.
This triumvirate delivers a level of prestige to supremely well-heeled buyers for whom a Lexus, S-Class Mercedes, or 7-series BMW prove simply too pedestrian. Whether spending a small mortgage on an automobile enthralls or revolts you, it's hard to be indifferent towards these three specimens. They represent the acme of what can be built on four wheels, and provide ridiculous amounts of luxury and engineering that may someday trickle down into more terrestrial sedans. As with all made-to-order items, bespoke possibilities are limited only to buyers' imaginations and pocketbooks.
In a greater philosophical sense, these land yachts carry the torch of the Concorde, representing the outer edge of the best that money can buy, at the antipodes of the practical or the mundane. As one Rolls-Royce owning acquaintance wryly justifies his four-wheeled indulgence, "You can live in a car, but you can't drive a house."
Basem Wasef
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323.791.8560