Bentley Motors has unveiled a spectacular one-off Continental GT Azure, built to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Bentley's own R-Type Continental, JAS 949.
JAS 949 is one of only 208 examples of the R Type Continental ever built. The car was the fastest four-seat luxury saloon in the world when launched in 1952, and its three key design features - the power line from the front wheel, the rear haunch and the roofline - are said to be the inspiration for the first generation Continental GT, as well as every Continental GT since.
The special Continental GT Azure gets an interior complete with open pore Burr Walnut veneer, chosen so as to mirror the patinated finish in JAS 949 The one-off Continental GT Azure mirror the specification of JAS 949, with an Old English White exterior finish that is a faithful recreation of the heritage paint colour that dates back to the 1950s.
The Continental also gets bright chrome fittings, and wheels in polished black as per the R-Type Continental, only here, of course, they are now 22-inch items, instead of the 16-inch ones that JAS 949 rides on.
Inside the one-off Continental GT Azure is Cricket Ball leather, mirroring the hide colour of JAS 949 while offering a cosseting, deep and rich heritage feel for the driver and passengers. This leather is contrasted by hand-applied Beluga leather piping.
The Continental GT Azure further sports open pore Burr Walnut veneer within its cabin, chosen so as to offer a texture close to the patinated finish in JAS 949. The Continental GT Azure also uses Australian straight grain veneer with a boxwood inlay on its fascia veneer and interior treadplates, enhanced with a Bentley Mulliner overlay in a rich gold, mirroring the interior detail on JAS 949.
JAS 949 is one of only 208 examples of the R Type Continental ever built. The car was the fastest four-seat luxury saloon in the world when launched in 1952, and its three key design features - the power line from the front wheel, the rear haunch and the roofline - are said to be the inspiration for the first generation Continental GT, as well as every Continental GT since.
The Continental also gets bright chrome fittings, and wheels in polished black as per the R-Type Continental, only here, of course, they are now 22-inch items, instead of the 16-inch ones that JAS 949 rides on.
Inside the one-off Continental GT Azure is Cricket Ball leather, mirroring the hide colour of JAS 949 while offering a cosseting, deep and rich heritage feel for the driver and passengers. This leather is contrasted by hand-applied Beluga leather piping.
The Continental GT Azure further sports open pore Burr Walnut veneer within its cabin, chosen so as to offer a texture close to the patinated finish in JAS 949. The Continental GT Azure also uses Australian straight grain veneer with a boxwood inlay on its fascia veneer and interior treadplates, enhanced with a Bentley Mulliner overlay in a rich gold, mirroring the interior detail on JAS 949.
