Rolls Royce History

Rolls-Royce began in 1904 as a joint venture by Charles S. Rolls and Henry Royce. From the beginning, this exclusive British line of cars was meant to embody exceptional quality and luxury. According to those at Rolls-Royce, their first collaboration, the Silver Ghost, was often considered to be the best car in the world in 1906. Many dedicated car enthusiasts believe the same can still be said of all Rolls-Royce models in production today.
While Rolls-Royce is owned by the BMW Group today, it hasn't lost any of its prestige or quality. It remains an exclusive brand and its models are produced only in limited quantities. One of its newest models, and the only one in production as of 2005, is the Phantom, which is gaining a considerable following.

Rolls Royce Phantom
The Phantom is the only Rolls-Royce being produced as of 2005. It has many of the classic features of the previous models, like the commanding body shape and size and the elegant grill. The lines along the body are smoother and more fitted for the new millennium than the sharper boxier lines of older Rolls-Royces. Powering this posh ride is a 6.75 litre V12 engine, giving it 453 horsepower.

The interior is as regal as the exterior. Easy access coach doors that open from the centre, a curved rear seat that facilitates a feeling of sociability between passengers, umbrellas that sit in compartments in the rear doors. Everything has been thought of.

A new one will cost you around £250,000 but the Phantom provides the ultimate arrival for any of those riding in it.

Bentley History

The Bentley brand is to luxury cars what Everest is to mountains. Those with wallets deep enough to meet the six-figure price tags of the company's vehicles are treated to towering levels of refinement and prestige. Bentley coupes and saloons are mostly hand-assembled in Great Britain at the manufacturer's state-of-the-art Crewe factory. This fusion of old-world craftsmanship with new-world technology is what the Bentley marque is all about.
Founded by Walter Owen Bentley, Bentley Motors was born in England in 1919. Two years later, the first model debuted, the rapid "3-litre" Bentley. Larger cars followed, and racing success at Le Mans earned the Bentley motorcars status among British sports car enthusiasts. Financial woes (brought on in part by the Wall Street Crash of 1929) triggered the brand's sale to Rolls-Royce in 1931.

In 1998 BMW began supplying engines to both the Bentley and Rolls-Royce brands. This relationship created a conflict when Volkswagen made a surprise bid later that year and acquired both marques, but the two German automakers reached an agreement that saw VW handing over control of Rolls to BMW in 2003, while keeping Bentley and the Crewe factory.

VW's ownership has given Bentley the opportunity to expand its model range and improve quality. The traditional Bentley qualities remain, however. A Bentley cabin has all the elegance of a Windsor Castle drawing room. Leather and wood trim have become popular in less prestigious nameplates, but Bentley vaults the concept to new heights of opulence, gracing almost every square inch of its interiors with premium hide and timber. Bentley owners seeking a one-of-a-kind vehicle are able to get just that thanks to the extraordinary degree of customization that the brand offers. Fabrics and colours may be handpicked by the customer from an existing selection, or Bentley can completely customize the interior colours to the customer's liking. The manufacturer's coupes and saloons are powered by a series of surprisingly muscular engines. Sportier Bentley models are motivated by a VW-designed twin-turbocharged 12-cylinder engine that generates more than 550 horsepower.

There are ultra luxury cruisers, and then there are Bentleys. Whether it's the Arnage saloon or the Continental GT coupe or Flying Spur, these luxury cars are sumptuous.

Bentley Flying Spur
The Bentley Continental Flying Spur is an ultra-luxury saloon with a high-performance orientation. It debuted as an all-new model for 2006. Naturally, standard equipment is generous. Nineteen-inch wheels; an adjustable air suspension; power front seats with heating, cooling and memory; four-zone automatic climate control; navigation; Bluetooth phone connectivity and leather everywhere are all part of the package. Options include front-seat lumbar massage, flip-down rear-seat veneer picnic tables and a full-length centre console that reduces seating capacity to four.

A Mulliner Driving Specification package includes special 20-inch wheels, alloy foot pedals, diamond-quilted leather and a choice of exclusive veneers.
This hefty Bentley saloon is powered by a twin-turbocharged W12 engine. It produces 552 bhp and 479 pound-feet of torque starting at a low 1,600 rpm. Driving through a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, this sophisticated power plant hustles the Flying Spur from zero to 60 mph in a scant 4.8 seconds.
Blending decades of Bentley's classic design with the absolute best available materials and build quality from its parent yields an exquisitely crafted interior literally fit for royalty. Though the Flying Spur is loaded with plenty of up-to-date technology, its controls are traditionally straightforward, with well-organized buttons. With its adjustable air suspension and sophisticated engineering, the Bentley Continental Flying Spur can float along the motorway enveloping its occupants in quiet comfort or just as easily zip through corners like a sport saloon that's half a ton lighter

Bentley Arnage
The Bentley Arnage was introduced in 1998 and gradual changes have been made over the years to make it more powerful and up-to-date in terms of high-tech creature comforts. It most recently received power, transmission and styling changes for 2007.
When the Arnage arrived, Rolls-Royce and Bentley were still partners. Initially, it was powered by a BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged V8, but when Volkswagen purchased Bentley in 1999
The Bentley Arnage is available in three trims: the regular Arnage R, the stretched-wheelbase Arnage RL and higher-performance Arnage T. All are powered by Bentley's venerable 6.75-liter V8, twin-turbocharged to produce massive power. That power is slightly more massive in the Arnage T, with 500 horsepower and an Earth-shaking 738 pound-feet of torque. With power flowing to the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission, the Arnage T is capable of zero to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. The R and RL get by with 450 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque.

As a £165000 plus British luxury saloon, it should come as no surprise that the Arnage comes loaded with creature comforts and copious amounts of wood and leather. Items like reclining rear seats, tri-zone climate control, DVD navigation, Bluetooth and park assist are modern touches that make this old-school motorcar a little more 21st-century friendly. Plus, bespoke options like special colours, materials, wheels, badging and entertainment systems allow a Bentley owner to meticulously create their dream car.
When it comes to buying a super luxury, theirs no denying The Bentley Arnage is a beautiful car.