BMW engines have a habit of showing up where you least expect them. After all, you wouldn’t think that unknown cars like Morgan’s would advertise BMW powertrains, but here we are. The list is also long and interesting; You’ll find BMW mills under the hoods of Land Rovers, INEOS trucks, the Toyota Supra and even the legendary McLaren F1. But you probably already know all of them, or at least most of them. You may not remember (or know about) a hugely underrated collaboration: Bentley. The Bentley Arnage originally relied on BMW power to move. Today it stands the test of time better than you might expect.
The Bentley powered by a BMW V8: The Arnage
The Bentley Arnage debuted in 1998 alongside its platform mate, the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph. However, this was long before VW and BMW took over their respective brands. BMW factories would eventually power all Rolls models, and the Silver Seraph ushered in the new era with the M73 V12 engine. Far more intriguing was the fact that the Bentley Arnage also received BMW milling and not the 6.75-liter V8 found in almost all Rolls and Bentleys before it. Under the hood of the first Bentley Arnage was a BMW 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8.
Even if it doesn’t sound so exotic at first – after all, BMW still uses 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8s to this day – we covered up the incident a little. The engine that powered the early Arnage was none other than the M62 V8, which was used exclusively as a naturally aspirated engine. Even in such exotic cars as the ALPINA Roadster V8, the M62 remained free of turbochargers. BMW didn’t even add turbos when it came time to develop a high-performance version of the M62 – the legendary S62 engine. Coincidentally, the Bentley Arnage’s M62 received a little therapy from historic British tuning house Cosworth – no coincidence, considering Bentley’s parent company Vickers owned both subsidiaries. The finished product debuted with 350 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, far more power than any BMW M62 variant at the time.
Say goodbye with the Green Label
Although the M62-powered Bentley Arnage was a truly impressive engine, it didn’t last long. Bentley only produced 1,123 examples before switching back to the familiar 6.75-liter unit. Bentley claims the shift is due to customer demand – not impossible. But it was also a product of the ongoing war between VW and BMW over Rolls-Royce/Bentley ownership, a battle that began around the same time the Arnage was launched. The drive change took place in 2000, and Bentley said goodbye to BMW with the Bentley Arnage Green Label. The new 6.75 liter car was nicknamed Red Label.
Only a handful of Green Label models were ever made. According to sources, in addition to the 52 special editions built as the Bentley Arnage 4.4L Birkin or “Birkin Arnage,” only seven were released. The Arnage Green Label showcased the improvements Bentley made over the Red Label. This primarily included a stiffer suspension and larger brakes, while retaining the BMW heart of the car. The Green Label retained its five-speed ZF transmission. To replace the Red Label, Bentley chose a GM four-speed transmission.
The only BMW-powered Bentley is an interesting story over 25 years later. The Green Label was arguably the best Arnage produced; The 4.4 liter engine was more economical, weighed less and was much easier and cheaper to maintain thanks to the significantly higher volume of the engine. Today, these BMW-powered Bentleys can be had for about 10% of their original MSRP, which was around $215,000. Not bad for what is undoubtedly one of the most interesting highlights in the history of BMW and Bentley.
