2008 Paris Auto Show: 2008 Bentley Arnage Final Series

• The epitome of ultra luxury on four wheels
• Limited edition makes it a collectible
• 735 lb-ft. of torque more than adequate. Much more.

• If you care about gas mileage and animals, not your ride
• Why tempt someone with shot glasses in a car?
• 1,100-watt sound system = early deafness

The name says it all: This is it for the last Bentley designed under the direction of previous owner Rolls-Royce. It's going out with the usual Bentley big bang, though, courtesy of the 500 horsepower from the Arnage T's 6.75-liter V-8. We'll kind of miss its grandiose presence and opulent accessories. Who doesn't need a cocktail cabinet in the rear cabin and an 1,100-watt sound system?

Do you like collecting Final Series memorabilia? Vault-bound Disney DVDs, seats from demolished stadiums, t-shirts from farewell tours? Well get the American Express ready for this ultimate end-of-the-line collector's item, the Bentley Arnage Final Series (that is, if people refer to you as Royal Highness, captain of industry, or that dude who owns his own island). After ten years of production, the Arnage is heading for the rafters, and this is Bentley's way of marking its historic run. Act now, because only 150 Bentley Arnage Final Series sedans are being produced (shipping and handling not included, operators are standing by).

The Bentley Arnage Final Series exterior is distinguished by unique 20-inch rims, subtle Final Series badging, and body-color trim. Like any other Bentley, the mixture of wood and soft leather in the Final Series cabin recalls the cigar room of a Four Seasons Hotel. Let's hope no one tells PETA 17 hides go into producing each car. The Final Series interior is set apart from the regular Bentley Arnage with such items as a rear cocktail cabinet featuring a Final Series stainless steel flask and shot glasses, a larger audio head unit, and four wood-handled Final Series umbrellas in the trunk for sword fighting with your chums. A new iPod interface is optional, and we can only imagine what blasting our collection of Miami booty house mix tapes through the Bentley's 1,100-watt amplifier would sound like.

How do you propel roughly three tons worth of steel, wood, and hand-stitched leather? With 500 horsepower and 735 lb-ft. of torque, of course, making Bentley Arnage Final Series the automotive equivalent of a tugboat (only this doesn't pull the Queen Mary, it's for the Queen Mary). The Arnage Final Series borrows the 6.75-liter V-8 from the Bentley Arnage T, and gas mileage is roughly the equivalent of a Ford Focus...with flat tires (or 10 mpg in the city). The Bentley Arnage Final Series will sprint to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, and to slow the vehicle down it's being offered with optional cross-drilled brake discs that are the largest brakes fitted to any production car on sale today.

If we were going to theoretically buy a Bentley Arnage, there is no question that this would be the one to get. The real question for Bentley is what fills the void at the top of the product lineup? Bentley has had plenty of success moving "down market" with the Continental series, but it's inevitable something new will take the Arnage's place to battle it out with Rolls-Royce's Phantom.

By Elliot Darvick and Greg Brown Photo credit: Greg Brown