Bentley Azure Convertible
The Bentley Azure is a four-seater convertible grand tourer produced by British automobile manufacturer Bentley Motors. The first version debuted in 1995 on the Bentley Continental R platform and was made until 2003. After a three-year break, a completely new version debuted in 2006 and was produced until 2010. It was powered by a significantly updated engine and based on the newer Arnage platform.
The name was taken from earlier Robert Jankel sportier 2-door conversions that evolved into the Continental R. The Azure debuted in March 1995 at the Geneva Motor Show on the platform of the Continental R model, which had been originally launched in 1991. Production only crept to a start, with a mere nine examples finished in the first year – in 1996, after full production had started, no less than 251 cars were finished. Pininfarina assisted in the two-year process of turning the Continental R into a full four-seater convertible, and also built the shell and soft-top at their factory in Italy, largely from parts sourced in the UK. Final assembly was then carried out at Crewe.
Power came from the company's stalwart 6.75-litre V8, featuring a single, intercooled Garrett turbocharger and rated in the region of 365 PS (268 kW; 360 hp) – Rolls-Royce and Bentley did not yet give official power numbers at the time of the Azure's introduction. By the time production began in earnest, a new engine management system from Zytek meant a slight power increase to 390 PS (287 kW; 385 hp) at 4,000 rpm and 750 N⋅m (553 lb⋅ft) of torque at 2,000 rpm.
Bentley Azure Convertible
The Bentley Azure is a four-seater convertible grand tourer produced by British automobile manufacturer Bentley Motors. The first version debuted in 1995 on the Bentley Continental R platform and was made until 2003. After a three-year break, a completely new version debuted in 2006 and was produced until 2010. It was powered by a significantly updated engine and based on the newer Arnage platform.
The name was taken from earlier Robert Jankel sportier 2-door conversions that evolved into the Continental R. The Azure debuted in March 1995 at the Geneva Motor Show on the platform of the Continental R model, which had been originally launched in 1991. Production only crept to a start, with a mere nine examples finished in the first year – in 1996, after full production had started, no less than 251 cars were finished. Pininfarina assisted in the two-year process of turning the Continental R into a full four-seater convertible, and also built the shell and soft-top at their factory in Italy, largely from parts sourced in the UK. Final assembly was then carried out at Crewe.
Power came from the company's stalwart 6.75-litre V8, featuring a single, intercooled Garrett turbocharger and rated in the region of 365 PS (268 kW; 360 hp) – Rolls-Royce and Bentley did not yet give official power numbers at the time of the Azure's introduction. By the time production began in earnest, a new engine management system from Zytek meant a slight power increase to 390 PS (287 kW; 385 hp) at 4,000 rpm and 750 N⋅m (553 lb⋅ft) of torque at 2,000 rpm.