2003 Bentley Azure Mulliner

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 designed 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 remarkable stature.

Power came from the company's stalwart 6.75-litre V8, fed by a single inter-cooled turbocharger producing in the region of 380bhp which, when mated to a General Motors-sourced, 4-speed automatic gearbox enabled this superbly designed Bentley to silently waft 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, naturally, with the specification. The options list was deliciously indulgent but the base price was around £200,000 when new.

This UK-supplied, right-hand drive example dates from 2003 and is stylishly finished in Silver Storm Metallic with a black hood, over black hide, black carpets and complemented by the traditional Burr Walnut veneered fascia.

The car is accompanied by both main Bentley dealer and Bentley specialist service history and the odometer was showing 39,368 miles at the time of cataloguing. It has recently been fitted with performance uprated front brake discs by RR & B.

The Azure was the most expensive convertible in the world at the time, however, they are now available at a more realistic level and, in terms of comfort and style, there is no finer way for four people to arrive anywhere.