Bentley Azure (2nd gen)
2006–2010 · Bentley Azure (2nd gen) — Grand Tourer, V8 Twin-Turbo, designed by Graham Hull.
The Story
When Bentley revived the Azure name in 2006 after a three-year gap, it built it the old way — on the long-wheelbase Arnage Drophead platform, with the twin-turbocharged 6.75 V8 in place of the original’s single blower. This was old-world Crewe grandeur, lightly updated: dual LED headlights borrowed from the Continental GT up front, a seven-bow triple-layer roof that vanishes into its own well, and a cabin of wood, leather and chrome built for unhurried four-up cruising.
Nearly 6,000 lb and yet flex-free, it was among the last of the truly hand-built Bentley convertibles. Just 787 were made before it bowed out in 2010 — and the 500-hp Azure T sent it off with real pace.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Grand Tourer class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Graham Hull
Graham Hull was Rolls-Royce/Bentley’s chief stylist (1971–2001), responsible for the Arnage and the related RR Silver Seraph, and author of ‘Bentley & Rolls-Royce: The Crewe Years.’ FLAG: Arnage/Azure attribution from general references.
Studio Motors POV
The last great Crewe drophead — old-school grandeur with just enough modern tech, and rare enough that good cars are genuinely hard to find. A connoisseur’s open-top.
The Engine
Rolls-Royce / Bentley L-Series 6¾ V8
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Azure (2nd gen)
Worth Knowing About the Azure (2nd gen)
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1. Unlike the single-turbo first Azure, the 2006 car used the twin-turbo 6.75 V8 — and borrowed its dual LED headlights from the Continental GT.
- 2. The three-layer, seven-bow roof stows in its own well, so boot space is identical top-up or top-down.
- 3. At nearly 6,000 lb it rode flex-free — Bentley engineered out the body shake that afflicts big convertibles.
5 Fast Facts
- 1. Arnage Drophead-based; twin-turbo 6.75 V8, 450 hp (Azure T: 500 hp).
- 2. 0-60 in 5.9s; ~£222,500 at launch.
- 3. 787 built (2006–2010), peaking at 350 in 2007.
- 4. The roof raises/lowers in 25 seconds.
- 5. Revived the Azure name after a three-year hiatus.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
No cleanly documented celebrity owner verified; old-money and ultra-wealthy clientele.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The Azure T (500 hp) for performance; the complex roof and air suspension are the cost centres; with only 787 built, clean cars are scarce. Roof condition and full history are everything.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Bentley Azure (2nd gen)
- Class
- Grand Tourer
- Production years
- 2006–2010
- Units built
- low-volume, not separately disclosed
- Variants
- Azure T (2009, 500 hp)
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V8 Twin-Turbo
- Engine family
- Rolls-Royce / Bentley L-Series 6¾ V8
- Displacement
- 6,750 cc (6.75 L)
- Power
- 500 hp
- Torque
- 738 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 5.1 s
- Top speed
- 179 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 180 hp/tonne · 12.2 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 6-speed ZF automatic
- Drivetrain
- RWD · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 6107 lb
Questions
Azure (2nd gen) FAQ
How many second-generation Bentley Azures were built?
Bentley built 787 second-generation Azures between 2006 and 2010, with production peaking at approximately 350 cars in 2007, making them considerably rarer than the first-generation model.
How does the 2006 Bentley Azure differ from the 1995 original?
Unlike the 1995 Azure’s Continental R platform and single-turbocharged V8, the 2006 Azure was built on the longer Arnage Drophead platform with a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V8 producing 450 horsepower, and added dual LED headlights borrowed from the contemporary Continental GT.
What is the difference between the Bentley Azure T and the standard 2nd-gen Azure?
The Azure T, launched in 2009, produces 500 horsepower versus the standard second-generation Azure’s 450 horsepower from the same twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V8, improving 0-60 mph from 5.9 seconds to 5.2 seconds (0-100 km/h in 5.5s).
Can you lease a second-generation Bentley Azure?
Yes, specialty lenders structure collector-car leases regardless of model year.
How quickly does the 2nd-gen Bentley Azure roof open and close?
The second-generation Bentley Azure’s fabric roof raises and lowers in 25 seconds and stows in its own dedicated well, leaving boot capacity unchanged whether the top is up or down.
The Bentley Lineup
Explore every Bentley
3 Litre ’216½ Litre / Speed Six ’264½ Litre ’27Blower 4½ Litre ’29
R-Type Continental ’52S1 Continental ’55S-Type Saloon (S1/S2/S3) ’55S2/S3 Continental ’59
Mulsanne (1980) ’80Turbo R ’85
Continental R ’91Azure ’95Arnage ’98
Continental GT (1st gen) ’03Continental Flying Spur ’05Azure (2nd gen) ’06Brooklands (Coupé) ’08
Mulsanne (2010) ’10Continental GT (2nd gen) ’11Flying Spur (2nd gen) ’13Bentayga ’15Continental GT (3rd gen) ’18Flying Spur (3rd gen) ’19
Buy, sell, source or lease this Azure (2nd gen).
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