• Legendary 'Six and three quarter litre' turbocharged V8 • Low mileage • Over £10,000 spent in 3 years • Highly desirable and rare model in wonderful condition • Private plate included
The Background
Bentley released the Azure in 1995, at the Geneva Motor Show. With design influence from Pininfarina, the model is a convertible version of the Continental R. Coming in at 5,340mm long, there was a lot of necessary strengthening and reinforcing carried out to the chassis, bringing it in at a weighty 2,608kg. The well known, and used for many years, 6.75 litre V8 engine was used in the Azure.
This time it had a Garrett Turbocharger attached, and with a reprogrammed engine management system, the Bentley produced 420 bhp which propelled the 2,608kg luxury grand tourer from 0-62 mph in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 150mph. This was impressive engineering considering the sheer size and weight of the vehicle. With the Azure model never replaced, it marked the end of one of the most expensive four-seater convertibles you could buy during the 1990’s and 2000’s. g392PeRv2eyrdOJexog3dwv8UV0mmn4uBV6tciLg.jpeg62.71 KB
The History
The seller of this impressive 2000 Bentley Azure Mulliner has owned the vehicle since 2018. He purchased it with 61,500 kilometers showing on the clocks from prestigious car dealer Autohaus Bad Oldesloe, in Hamburg, Germany. Originally the car was sold by Bentley in Florida, (hence the left hand drive.) It remained there until 2007, when it was exported to Spain.
From there it went to a main Bentley dealer in Dusseldorf, and was sold in 2011 with 40,260 kilometers showing on the odometer, to a buyer who kept the car until it was bought by well known German TV presenter Ira Wolff in 2017, who enjoyed it up to around 61,000 kilometers.
Our seller drove the car back from Germany where it was fully checked over by Rolls Royce and Bentley specialist, Castec Motor Services in the Midlands. The car was then registered in the UK where it has remained. Castec carried out some work on the car which involved a full overhaul of the heating and air conditioning system, and replaced the steering rack and seals.
The V5 is present and shows 0 previous keepers in the UK.
There is some German documentation showing previous keepers, and also a Carfax history report showing the history in the USA.
The original Bentley hand book is present along with the service booklet. There are a number of invoices from Bentley Dusseldorf showing servicing work, and also the paperwork from Castec Motor Services.
Inside, the Bentley is in very good condition. Starting with the seats, and the natural tan leather is in good condition, which we would say is in keeping with the mileage of the Azure. There is just a small amount of wear to the driver’s bolster, which could easily be recoloured if required.
The passenger seat, as you usually find, has less wear, and the rear seat does not look to have had much use at all. Finishing off the seats are the embroidered headrests, front and rear, with the Bentley logo. The door cards are also in good order, with just some minor scuffs, which could possibly clean off, and the Burr Oak Veneer trim has some lacquer peel to the front edge of the passenger door.
Sitting in the driver's seat, the two tone leather steering wheel has a slight amount of wear to the outside edge of the wheel, again the colour has come off a little. Just behind the dashboard is finished in a slightly darker leather to the seats, and is in good order with no damage or splits to be seen.
The Burr Oak Veneer fascia is also in nice condition and holds the gauges, which are all reported to be working as they should, and all have a bright finish to them. The odometer is displaying a reading of 69,827 kilometers or 43,388 miles. The switchgear is all reported to be working as it should and looks in good order, with no wear to the lettering on the buttons. There is an Alpine flip out screen head unit fitted, which would connect to your phone if required.
The carpets are in good order, with no excessive wear to be seen, thanks to the mats fitted to protect them. The driver’s mat does have some wear as you would expect but could easily be replaced. Inside the boot is, again, in excellent condition. Fully carpeted and easily enough room for your golf clubs plus a couple of umbrellas. yOWKZIHt4FR0ow88o02TADnezcHsk9T0FTeIbgu4.jpeg59.1 KB
The Exterior
Finished in Artica White, the Azure is very well presented with crisp lines down the length of the vehicle. Starting at the front, and there is very little in the way of stone chip damage - yes there are a few, but not a great deal. The bumper is free from any scuffs and the chrome trim is in good condition.
The headlights are free from any chips or cracks. These do appear to have gone a little cloudy, but are working as they should. The indicators are also free from any cracks or splits. The mesh grille finishes the front end, with a painted white surround. This is all as it should be, with no damage to the mesh. Sitting pride of place is the Bentley badge and everything looks to align as it should.
Sitting at 5,340 mm, the long flanks have a nice crisp swage line running down the length of the car, which is uninterrupted from any dings or dents. The doors look to align as they should with an equal panel gap. The chrome door handles are in good condition, with no pitting to be seen. The window trims are also in good order along with the rubbers. There is one small blister to mention on the driver’s door, just under the window trim. The roof is in good condition, with the rear window in good order.
At the touch of a button the roof opens and closes as it should, and as a precautionary measure, the seller has had the main electric roof ram seals replaced which can cause potential problems.
Around to the rear, and again the boot panel aligns as it should. There are a couple of small marks on the bumper. The light lenses are free from any cracks or splits, and the Azure, Bentley and Mulliner badges have a nice finish, with no corrosion to them.
The wheels on the Bentley are all in excellent condition, with just an odd couple of marks on two of the rims. The tyres are all matching Pirelli P Zero with a good amount of tread remaining. VZlMr6PANQh8NpRA7b0kQULso6Tdb5MZuFTMFodz.jpeg61.24 KB
The Mechanics
The Azure’s powerhouse is the mighty 6.75 litre, (six and three quarter), V8 turbocharged L410MT 1T V8 engine, which, being a post 1999 model, produces approximately 420 bhp. This is coupled to the 4-speed GM 4l80-E Automatic gearbox.
With the first turn of the key, the stunning V8 fires into life with a distinct V8 growl, and quickly comes to an even smooth purr. The Azure is reported to run and drive as it should, with the Garrett turbocharger helping the car pull well through the automatic gearbox. The change is as smooth as it should be, it is a Bentley after all.
The seller has had quite an amount of work carried out in his ownership, which has included the replacement of the sump gasket and new bonnet gas struts. The steering rack was also recently overhauled and replaced, so you can be sure the car will be as precise as it was the day it rolled off the production line. Keeping the ride as smooth as Bentley intended, the seller has recently had the suspension system overhauled, with new spheres, joints, seals, accumulators and valve assemblies fitted, which should give plenty of trouble free miles. N4Sf0rL5WYifu60UaKEkOgVZrTfD8HsZfNsXw40O.jpeg60.98 KB
The Appeal
With a total of 1,403 first generation Bentley Azures produced, it’s safe to say you are buying into quite a limited numbers vehicle, but this 2000 model is even more sought after with the optional Mulliner trim package.
With a well documented history following its journey from Florida to Germany and then the UK, it would appear from the paperwork and the condition, that the car has been well cared for by all of its owners.
Costing over £215,000 when new, this is your chance to take ownership of the luxurious Bentley Azure Mulliner, at a fraction of the original cost.
Notice to bidders
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