2002 Bentley Arnage R Auto

This 2002 Bentley Arnage had a very well-known previous owner between 2005 and 2006 – and if we were to say, “Stay out of the black and into the red, nothing in this game for two in a bed” or “Look at what you could have won!” we bet you’ll know exactly who we’re talking about – and if you don’t then please turn to the history file where you’ll see a photo of the man in question leaning on the bonnet of his approved used Bentley.

Finished in Peacock Blue and a Parchment hide interior, ‘DG02 NNL’ is one of only 52 Arnages made in 2002, and one of only 373 right-hand drive Arnage Rs made in total.

The car is on its second speedo following a documented previous change, so the combined mileage is in the region of 68,000.

In the seller’s hands since August 2015, this former member of the Rolls-Royce and Bentley Enthusiasts’ Club has been meticulous in maintaining his beloved Arnage exactly as the factory would prefer.

The Bentley’s body-coloured radiator surround and mesh grilles are nothing less than a statement of intent, elevating the Arnage out of the realms of the usual luxury saloon and into the dizzying heights of the luxury super-saloon, a vehicle that cossets its passenger and thrills its driver.

This one is in an uncommonly good condition too thanks to a programme of conservation that included having the nearside rear quarter panel, front bumper and grille, and the nearside door mirror refinished in 2019. The rear bumper was also painted in 2022.

Of course, this work merely preserved an already very good example, which is evident from the mm-perfect shutlines, laser-sharp panel alignment, and the clear HPI report. The four corners are still crisp and unmarked too, as are extremities like the door mirror cases.

None of us reach our quarter-century unscathed though and we spotted a very small dent to the driver’s door, another in the offside rear door, and a couple of very small ones on the offside rear wing.

It also sports a few carefully touched-in chips plus polishing swirls. However, if you treated it to a professional machine polish, we suspect that both of these minor issues could be minimised.

That’s it though, which is remarkable given the car’s colour; while black might be the very worst colour of them all in the way it highlights even the smallest flaws, a deep blue like this Peacock Blue (paint code 9560007), must run it a close second.

The lamp lenses are free of chips and cracks too, and while the headlamp covers have gone ever-so-slightly cloudy, the rear lamps remain as bright and colourful as the (discreet) badging.

The six-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels are in fine fettle too being free of scuffs, scrapes and other kerbing damage. However, while the tyres are a matching set of 255/50ZR18 Pirelli P-Zero, they were made between 2007 and 2013 and the sidewalls have age-related cracks plus a few rubbing marks, so the new owner should budget to replace all four as a priority.

As for signs of age in the hide cabin, the Parchment leather front seats have developed a few creases, but these appear to be superficial and, quite literally, skin deep. There certainly isn’t any damage at all, nor any deep cracks, and all four seats remain supremely comfortable and supportive.

The rest is very good including a taut, clean, and undamaged headlining, glossy walnut veneer, and bright and easy-to-read switches and controls.

The cabin also sports plenty of chrome, both as trim and for the controls. This too is in a very good condition with nothing by way of tarnishing or other signs of age.

It’s the same story for the leather-covered dashboard, which remains firmly stuck down with none of the peeling we see on cars that have spent time in hot climates or have been left parked for long periods in direct sunlight.

The grey-on-ivory instruments are a suitably elegant addition, and these monitor road and engine speeds, fuel level, coolant temperature, oil pressure, battery charge, and the time. The distance covered, both cumulative and trip, is covered by a digital display between the speedometer and tachometer.

It’s loaded with goodies too, including a pair of DCD screens in the headrests, which’ll allow you to watch re-runs of you-know-what. (Speaking of which, Bully makes an appearance, with the cheeky little rascal sitting on the back seat as a nod to the car’s much-loved previous owner.)

Other niceties include automatic lights, electrically adjustable and heated front seats, individual controls for the climate control, parking sensors, electric windows and door mirrors, central locking, and cruise control.

Pretty much everything works as it should, including the air-conditioning, which blows nice and cold. In fact, the only thing we discovered that doesn’t is the Sport button.

The boot is as beautifully trimmed as the rest of the interior. The carpet is, like the main one in the cabin, in an excellent condition with no obvious signs of wear.

The boot also hosts the Alpine sat-nav system plus the DVD/CD-multichanger for the stereo. The headphones and two remote controllers for the multimedia system are in the front along with the original Bentley headunit.

Lifting the false floor reveals an almost-certainly-unused emergency kit, which includes a first aid kit, spare bulbs, tools, and a pair of white gloves. An OBD reader lives in the glovebox, and a full-size spare wheel will also be supplied with the car, should you prefer one of those to the (again, probably unused) space-saver spare wheel Bentley fitted.

As for cosmetic issues, the gearknob is showing its age and the burr walnut veneer at the top of the driver’s door is slightly damaged but we suspect most folk could live with both issues for a good while yet. You might want to give the seatbelts a quick clean though as they are a bit grubby.

The Arnage’s service history is recorded as follows:

• 11.10.2002 and 7,932 miles – service by Bentley Birmingham
• 28.05.2003 and 11,562 miles – service by Bentley Birmingham
• 07.05.2004 and 14,819 miles – service by Bentley Birmingham
• 12.10.2005 and 26,584 miles – service by Bentley Birmingham
• 08.10.2007 and 31,192 miles – service by Balmoral (mileage of 3,903 recorded in the book, with +27,289 alongside it - a new odometer was fitted)
• 13.03.2009 and 35,051 miles – service by Balmoral
• 05.05.2010 and 38,914 miles – service by Birway
• 08.06.2015 and 45,726 miles – service by Castec Motor Services
• 29.06.2016 and 48,191 miles – service by Guy Salmon

The Arnage had moved into the seller’s hands in July 2015, and as a member of the Rolls-Royce and Bentley Enthusiasts’ Club, he felt equal to the task of maintaining it himself, recording a routine service at the following dates and mileages:

• 08.06.2017 and 51,337 miles
• 01.06.2018 and 53,774 miles
• 03.06.2019 and 56,420 miles
• 09.06.2020 and 58,213 miles
• 01.06.2021 and 58,974 miles
• 15.08.2022 and 61,965 miles
• 27.09.2023 and 63,625 miles
• 01.06.2024 and 64,889 miles
• 01.09.2025 and 67,289 miles
• 30.03.2026 and 67,500 miles

Careful to only use Mobil One and O/E oil filters, his meticulous record keeping – there is even a small drawing showing what date each of the rear parking sensors was replaced – also lists the non-service parts and work since he bought the Arnage in 2015.

This includes replacing all four brake pipes, both front drop links and anti-roll bar bushes, the bottom and top front ball joints, the boot lid struts, the alternator, the rear damper gaiters, the top wishbone bushes, the two front subframe metal mounts, the coolant level sensor, fitting new sill screws along both sides, and replacing the engine cover and fixings.

*deep breath*

And fitting a new parking brake gas strut, an outside temperature sensor, a headlamp sensor on the mirror, the rear parking sensors, and two rear gas springs and fluid amongst much, much more.

The seller has totted it up and it came to more than £14,000 – and that’s without a lot of the labour that others would have had to pay; imagine the cost of a main dealer or independent specialist had done all of the work!

The air-conditioning system was last recharged in August 2024 when the condenser, drive belt, expansion valve, and receiver were replaced by P&A Wood, the well-known independents, at a cost of more than £3,500.

P&A Wood also serviced the parking brake and changed the brake fluid in February 2026. Some additional items came to light, which the owner sorted out himself within a month, and the history file also contains a good number of invoices for parts used as well as previous servicing paperwork.

As you might have been able to predict, the 6.75-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine bursts into life with a murmur. It revs well too, with only a gentle increase in noise inside the cabin but a suitably sporting roar from the twin exhaust pipes.

The instruments show both a good charge to the battery and good oil pressure, and no warning lights are illuminated.

You can’t see much of the engine and its ancillaries, but what is visible looks decently clean and well cared for, including the underbonnet soundproofing.

Moving underneath, again, everything looks to be in a better-than-average condition with only minimal surface corrosion to steel fasteners and suspension components. The underseal is in a generally good condition although it has failed at the point where the leading edge of the offside sill meets the driver’s footwell, resulting in some rust forming.

The lower plastic valence trim is a bit scuffed up and a couple of sections have been slightly damaged, but this sort of thing is pretty much inevitable, and it is only visible if you get down on your knees.

The Bentley’s MoT certificate, which is valid until June 2027, was issued without any advisories. In fact, you’ll have to go all the way back to 2016 to find one – and that was for an inoperative washer jet.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the Arnage comes with two keys, one of which was purchased from the factory in August 2019. Said to have been the very last one Crewe had in stock, it cost him around £600 including the fee to have it programmed for his car.

No wonder he’s left it in its wrapping and cherished it, eh?

The Bentley’s history, which runs to two complete files, also includes handwritten notes on maintenance and usage, a page on its history, another listing its maintenance schedule, and the Bentley wallet and book pack.

The Arnage has always had a faithful following, the combination of staggering performance, an ethereal cabin, and largely analogue engineering proving to be an irresistible combination for the enthusiastic driver who appreciates Old School saloons with more power than anyone really needs.

And yet, despite this enthusiastic following – and so many are in the hands of long-term, fastidious, and passionate owners like our seller that there’s no excuse to buy from anyone else – they’ve yet to appreciate as we suspect they one day will.

Because our estimate is that the virtual hammer will fall on this one somewhere between £16,000 and £20,000, which, at the lower end, would only return roughly what the owner’s spent on it since he bought it in 2015.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.