Bentley will revive the Azure name for the new convertible version of the Arnage saloon, shown here in Bentley’s first official pictures.
The two-door, four-seater Azure was previewed at January’s Los Angeles motor show as the Arnage Drophead Coupé and the production car will be unveiled at the Frankfurt show later this month.
Despite similar looks, Bentley claims that the Azure has little in common with the 2001 VW-engineered Rolls-Royce Corniche and the 1995 first-generation Azure, both based on the Silver Seraph. ‘The Azure will be based on the latest Arnage — it’s a long way from the Corniche,’ said a Bentley spokesperson.
Some of the concept car’s chrome has been lost in the move to production, while inside there is a bespoke interior and underneath Bentley engineers have added carbon-fibre crossbracing to stiffen the steel monocoque.
Power comes from the Arnage T’s twin-turbo 6.75-litre V8, which sends 450bhp and 645lb ft of torque to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic gearbox and propels the Azure from rest to 60mph in 5.9sec and on to a 168mph maximum.
Expect a significant increase over the Arnage T’s £170,000 price tag when the new car goes on sale next Spring.
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