| Azure |
| Monday, 22 December 2008 05:36 | |||||||||||||||||||
|
AZURE - The design of the Azure is, first and foremost, unmistakeably Bentley. It shares its face with the current Arnage range and its platform ensures it seats four adults in supreme comfort. But it is also unmistakeably unique. The entire cabin and rear section of the car are newly designed, with a stunning bespoke interior; the objective being to create an opulent and inviting seating area that reflects its status as a car that is at home in Palm Springs or the Riviera. 
The complex folding roof on the convertible is operated hydraulically at the touch of a switch: the impressive, three-layer fabric assembly being elegantly stowed beneath the hide-trimmed tonneau in under 30 seconds. The twin-turbocharged V8 engine, double-wishbone suspension and extremely rigid body structure of the Arnage provide a state-of-the-art basis for the new Azure. It is powered by a 450bhp (336Kw) version of the Arnage’s 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged intercooled V8 engine and produces 875Nm (645lb ft) of torque.
 Azure PerformanceThe twin-turbocharged engine of the Azure is based on the famous 6.75 litre V8 engine that provides the Arnage with such enormous reserves of power. Bentley engineers have nevertheless tailored it to yield its power in a more progressive, more refined manner, in keeping with the Azure’s restrained and elegant character. Nevertheless, with 450bhp (336kW) and a top speed of 171mph (274km/h), it will deliver outstanding performance with understated ease. Engine - The Azure engine has been specifically tailored by Bentley engineers to release this enormous engine thrust in a more refined and effortless way. This we call “progressive tuning”. 
As the accelerator pedal is depressed, so the engine’s electronic throttle is programmed to open progressively, supplying a steadily increasing fuel and air mix to the engine cylinders, accompanied by appropriate ignition timing. There is also a carefully-managed rise in the turbochargers’ boost pressure to ensure a controlled release of the engine’s massive power output. Massive reserves of power and superb low-end torque are common to every Arnage. While the T designation signifies the sportiest end of the performance spectrum, the “refined” nature of the Arnage R is beautifully expressed through this innovative engine tune. Azure CraftmanshipThe traditional techniques of craftsmanship employed in the building of the Azure are special in many ways. Individuality of finish and flexibility of design are paramount among them. The attention to detail and the dedication to perfection are clearly evident in the final product, in the touch of every surface and the feel of every texture. Veneers - Every veneer leaf is just 0.6mm thick. In the two weeks that it takes to prepare the wood for your Arnage interior, the veneers are given five coats of lacquer and three days of curing time before being wax polished by hand. The wood shop uses no bleaching or staining techniques; the rich colour of the veneers is entirely natural. It can take as many as 24 leaves of veneer to make the main veneered components of a Bentley cabin. Precision technology and traditional craft skills combine to produce a perfect finish. 
Bentley is the only coachbuilder to use mirror patterns when applying veneers, placing four successive leaves end to end to make a symmetrical pattern across the fascia, a process known as book matching. Each leaf of veneer can be traced back to the tree from which it came. The most popular choice is Burr Walnut, the distinctive pattern coming from a fungus in the root ball. These root balls, generally around 1 metre in diameter, would typically be over eighty years old. Each tree used for veneer is past its fruit-bearing age and is replaced with three more. Great care is taken never to use endangered wood species. Azure SafetyThe Azure is equipped with active and passive safety systems at the highest levels of specification. 
Over and above those safety technologies that it shares with the Arnage, a roll-over protection system is installed behind the rear seats, deploying automatically should the car detect the risk of a roll-over. Azure Naim Sound SystemThe system has been designed by Naim’s world class engineers, delivering a distinct ‘live concert-like experience’ offering industry leading power output through a unique amplifier and speaker system developed for Bentley. 
In the Azure the sub-woofers are located in the rear passenger footwells and are contained within a specially desined enclosure to ensure the sound of this pure music experience remains within the cabin.
|
|||||||||||||||||||
ONLINE BOUTIQUE
ROLLS-ROYCE
LAMBORGHINI
BUGATTI
ASTON MARTIN