This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at Silverstone Festival 2025 - Collectors Cars on Saturday the 23rd of August, The Wing, Silverstone Circuit, NN12 8TN. Introduced in 1995, the Bentley Azure was based on the platform of the Continental R Coupé which had been launched originally in 1991. By definition, a fully strengthened luxury convertible to seat four adults very comfortably, accommodate their luggage and hide an engine sufficiently powerful to propel the entire ensemble towards the horizon in a linear fashion is never going to be a small car and the Azure often surprised with its substantial presence. Spinning a convertible out of the Continental was inspired, getting Pininfarina to engineer and styling it especially so. Just 1,403 first-generation Azures were built, all combining the turbocharged urge of their hardtop cousins with the effortless style associated with their namesake. Power came from the company's stalwart 6.75-litre V8, featuring a single inter-cooled turbocharger producing in the region of 380bhp, mated to a General Motors-sourced, 4-speed automatic gearbox, enabling the Azure to glide up to 60mph in an impressive 6.1 seconds. Owing to the limited space at Bentley's Crewe factory, the Azure was assembled and finished by Pininfarina, significantly adding to the vehicle's production costs. The selling price varied as equipment could be significantly different from one to the next depending on personal preferences, however the price list started at just over £200,000 when new. The car presented here is a 1997 Bentley Azure, first registered on 30th April 1997 and purchased new by our vendor’s father exactly one month later (it being a 'pre-registered' car initially 'owned' by Bentley), before passing to our vendor on 12th August 2019, the car’s only keepers and it shows as the car's condition is absolutely exceptional. Interestingly, its original factory specification includes a Bentley-designed/made tonneau cover, a rare and welcome addition to using it with the roof stowed. Having covered just 24,800 miles from new with a complete main dealer service history, this is as good an Azure as you'd hope to find. It has always been garaged, has never been painted and is as all original. Its Atlantic Blue paintwork over tan with blue leather is probably the best and most discerning a combination an Azure can sport. Having worn the registration W9 during its family ownership, (not part of the sale - it will return to P386 MDT), you get some idea of the level of love and care that this car has commanded. This Bentley Azure offers a remarkable driving experience for a relatively modest outlay, compared to the price when new or the current offering from Crewe and makes an occasion of every journey. Don't miss out on what is a truly best of breed example which has been lavished with care and maintenance, all within the same family, a very special provenance. Servicing summary: 30/10/97 - 2,248 miles / Straight Eight (Bentley Hampshire) 05/05/98 - 3,156 miles / Straight Eight (Bentley Hampshire) 20/01/99 - 6,119 miles / Straight Eight (Bentley Hampshire) 02/09/99 - 7,344 miles / Straight Eight (Bentley Hampshire) 11/08/00 - 11,424 miles / Straight Eight (Bentley Hampshire) 29/03/01 - 12,504 miles / Straight Eight (Bentley Hampshire) 05/09/01 - 14,276 miles / Straight Eight (Bentley Hampshire) 06/03/02 - 14,541 miles / Straight Eight (Bentley Hampshire) 15/05/03 - 17,406 miles / Straight Eight (Bentley Hampshire) 06/04/04 - 20,637 miles / Straight Eight (Bentley Hampshire) 25/03/05 - 21,068 miles / JCT600 Bentley, Leeds 03/04/06 - 21,617 miles / JCT600 Bentley, Leeds 18/10/07 - 22,436 miles / JCT600 Bentley, Leeds 27/04/09 - 22,838 miles / JCT600 Bentley, Leeds 27/05/11 - 23,449 miles / Bentley Hampshire 03/05/13 - 23,875 miles / Bentley Hampshire 12/07/17 - 24,018 miles / Bentley Hampshire 07/08/23 - 24,614 miles / JCT600 Bentley, Leeds