BENTLEY Azure 1995-2002 Photos, engines & full specs

In the '90s, Bentley was nicknamed as the Rolls-Royce for the driver. It featured the same luxury, but the cabin was more driver-oriented. It was the same for the Azure, which was an open-top Continental R.

In the early '80s, Rolls-Royce management decided to design a Bentley that would not share the bodywork with a Rolls-Royce. To be offered exclusively as Bentley and resemble the glorious racing history of the B-winged brand. In 1991, at the Geneva Motor Show, the Continental R was unveiled in a surprise event. Four years later, based on the same platform, the British brand introduced the convertible version, the Azure.

Viewed from the front, the mesh-grille looked even more impressive due to its size, between the four rounded headlights designed in an old-fashion way. On the front fenders, there was a pair of air-vents, which didn't exist on the Continental R. The transformation was made by the Pininfarina studios and also built the shell and soft-top at their factory in Italy. Hence the Italian designers made the open-top luxury vehicle without a security arch, further reinforcements were required.

The interior was built for comfort. Even though the car resembled a sporty history, it had to be fitted with British luxury. Expensive leather and wood trims were extensively used in the handcrafted cabin. A “Sport” button was installed on the top of the gear selector that altered the engine and gearbox management, and also stiffened the suspension.

The powerful, turbocharged, 6.75-liter V8 was one of the torquiest engines installed in a regular car on those times. And it was upgraded over the years from 650 Nm (450 lb-ft) of torque up to 881 Nm (650 lb-ft).