REVIEWS AND ROAD TESTS

Is being rich really a good thing?

The following lines have two objectives : first, to inform those select few taxpayers who are rich enough to afford a Bentley, and to make the vast majority, who will never be able to afford such a castle on wheels, turn green with envy. Three Bentleys are available : the Azure convertible, the Continental coupe and the new Arnage sedan.You can’t pay the equivalent of the an entire third world country’s GNP and not expect to find an indescrible level of comfort. Besides the Connolly leather, which makes the seats smell so good, the immense cabin includes top-of-the- line extras: automatic deodorizers designed to mask the smell of cigar smoke, mirrors, a minibar, document case, writing pad, etc. At the touch of a button, and the Azure’s roof folds back automatically into a special back compartment. The continental T tries to be more original : instead of boring occupants with fine hardwood, you can order a dashboard with a gameboard or if you prefer, a forged aluminum plate. You don’t need anything more to insure a unique look or to justify the enormous price tag.After years of effort, it is the ultimate reward. Bentley might have had the slogan "the Ultimate Driving Machine" if BMW had not lost control of the brand (although they still have Rolls-Royce) to Volkswagen, the new owner. No other manufacturer combines so much size with so much power. No other car is as magnificent or as fast. What is most impressive, however, is that the 2.5-ton weight of these mastadons does not reduce their handling capacity. The quiet interior is the best in the industry.

You know you are in a different world when the string of numbers in the price of your car is longer than your telephone number.

PROS
Unique social status
Perfection in the finishing touches
Combination of weight and speed

CONS
Enormous size
Huge gas guzzler
фCosts a fortune