As entertaining as the virtual race was, and as action packed as this year’s shortened motorsport calendar has been, it’s fair to say 2020 has been significantly lacking without the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Next week, though, 13 weeks after its originally scheduled date, the storied event is to return, which for those planning on keeping up with the action from their sofa is all-round good news. For the 250,000 spectators anticipated to attend the 2020 event before Covid-19 hit, however, hopes will be focussed on ensuring a more normal running for the 2021 race.
Which got us thinking; what car would you take to a potential (and surely partial) Circuit de la Sarthe public re-opening in 2021? Such a scenario might be wishful thinking, sure, but hopefully you’ll forgive us for adding to ‘Le Mans’ to our search criteria when seeking out today’s Spotted. Especially when it allows us to remember one of the prettiest Le Mans cars to compete in recent times, the Bentley Speed 8 – or, as it was on its 2001 debut, the EXP Speed 8. Making for a 20-year anniversary worth celebrating in 2021.
The Arnage Le Mans Edition had its own celebratory reason for existence in the EXP Speed 8’s introduction, which brought Bentley back to the race that had made it so famous after 71 years away. It conjured up the spirit of the Bentley Boys era by building on the already plush base of the Arnage Red Label and its 406hp 6.75-litre engine, gaining sporting exterior features a few extras inside. The EXP Speed 8 might not have delivered the dream result on its first go at Le Mans, but the special Arnage successfully re-asserted Bentley’s historical ties to the event. Two years later, the Speed 8 would take Bentley back to the top step.
Despite its name, however, the Arnage Le Mans was far from a track-spec take on Bentley’s 2.5-tonne saloon. It got the enhancements of the Red Label, like a stiffer bodyshell, larger wheels and brakes, sure. But it remained first and foremost an effortless, leather and wood-laden limo in which to cover enormous ground in a typically Bentley fashion. These were days long before the use of 48v anti-roll wizardry; an Arnage was supposed to roll, pitch and lean. And you had 616lb ft of hand-built V8 torque to haul you between the bends.
Essentially, then, what you got was an Arnage Red Label bearing bigger quad exhaust tips, intakes on the wings, wheel arch extensions and new bumpers. There were also red brake calipers, five-spoke alloys and Le Mans Series badges, while inside, the same wording was displayed on the instrument cluster dials and headrests. The racing link continued with drilled metal pedals and unique treadplate plaques. Le Mans Editions were unashamedly spruced up takes on an already posh bruiser.
But they sold well; in fact, Bentley produced 153 of them, three more than was originally planned. By contrast, the similarly tweaked Continental R Le Mans fell four units short of its intended 50-car run, with five more specials based on the Continental T and four on the Azure helping Bentley make the most of its Le Mans return. It must have satisfied then new owner Volkswagen which, let’s not forget, had only just come to a settlement with BMW over how ownership of the Bentley and Rolls-Royce brands should be split.
Today’s 33,000-mile-old Spotted is therefore a representation not just of Bentley’s return to the racetrack, but also its rebirth in the 21st century under a new parent – and, we should add, the 6.75 litre’s survival because of that. 20 years on, and for little more than the price of a new Civic Type R, it’d surely make for quite the Chunnel chariot in which to embark for Le Mans. Fingers crossed, anyway.
BENTLEY ARNAGE LE MANS EDITION | SPECIFICATION
Engine: 6,750cc, turbocharged V8
Transmission: 4-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 406@4,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 616@2,100rpm
MPG: Best not think about that
CO2: See above
First registered: 2001
Recorded mileage: 33,000
Price new: c. £190,000
Yours for: £33,500
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