2001 Bentley Arnage - £34,500

'Red Label' Saloon

: Luxury, quality and style

Registration number Y441 NLC

Chassis number SCBLC31E51CH06130

Engine number L675102149

Emphasising its racing heritage, Bentley Motors unveiled the new Arnage in April 1998 at La Sarthe circuit, home of the Le Mans 24-Hour Race and scene of its greatest triumphs in the 1920s.

Bentley, together with parent company Rolls-Royce Motors, was in collaboration with BMW at this time, and the Arnage was the first Bentley to benefit from the Munich firm’s engine technology in the form of an all-new 4.4-litre 32-valve twin-turbocharged V8 power unit. However, Bentley’s subsequent acquisition by Volkswagen resulted in a partial volte face, with the ‘old’ 6.75-litre push-rod V8 being reintroduced on some models, beginning with the Arnage Red Label in 1999. The BMW-engined car lived on as the Green Label, while the Red Label boasted redesigned front suspension to cope with the heavier ‘big block’ engine, together with brakes of increased diameter.

: Spacious

In addition, subtle alterations were made to the interior, resulting in 2” more legroom for rear seat passengers, while features that had previously been ‘extras’ were included as standard. Despite its older and simpler engine, the Red Label amply demonstrated the truth of the old saying: ‘there’s no substitute for cubic inches’, comfortably eclipsing its more-modern sibling in the horsepower stakes, producing 400-420bhp to the Green Label’s 350. The larger engine’s stupendous torque, available from idling speed upwards, made the Green Label’s five-speed automatic transmission superfluous, so the Red Label reverted to the four-speed auto ’box.

First registered in March 2001 to one Kevin Nash, of Bicester, this Bentley Arnage Red Label was purchased by the recently deceased Neil Aspinall, its second owner, in November 2002. A lifelong friend and close associate of The Beatles, Neil Aspinall ran the group’s Apple Corps music empire from its Ovington Square offices in Knightsbridge, London. He attended school in Liverpool with Sir Paul McCartney and George Harrison, went on to become The Beatles’ road manager in the 1960s and even played background instruments on tracks including ‘Magical Mystery Tour’, ‘Within You Without You’ and ‘Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite’. It was not for nothing that he was sometimes referred to as ‘the 5th Beatle’.

: Power

This Bentley has been maintained by Jack Barclay in London and comes with a large file of service invoices.

Finished in black with matching leather interior and black lacquered wood, it has covered a mere 37,000-or-so miles from new and is presented in commensurately excellent mechanical condition.

Includes updated SatNav, Parrot and Road Angel.

A ‘tracker’ anti-theft system is the only listed deviation from factory specification.

Condition: Body/Paint Very nice all round. Overall Very good.

Problems Very slight wear on drivers seat.

Further Photographs: Gallery

The details, on this website, have been prepared in good faith. Accordingly, it is not intended that these details should be relied upon as a representation of facts or that they should have contractual status, and, for example: (i) The description, including photographs, of the vehicles are intended to be a guide only rather than a detailed and accurate report. (ii) Photographs are not necessarily comprehensive or current. (iii) No representation or warranty is given.