Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Bentley 2012








Bentley cars over the years have attained iconic status in the automotive world. They are known for being some of the most luxurious, most sophisticated, and most expensive cars ever built. But while they were well known in certain circles during that time, it wouldn't be until recently that the whole world would truly know of the brand. This is due to Bentley being openly preferred by some of the most popular celebrities, athletes, and businessmen around, often seen on TV riding their Bentleys everywhere they go. And most of the time, it would be a convertible that would be seen.

Convertibles are the cars that show everyone that the driver is very sporty, loves the open road, and just loves driving. And a Bentley is no exception to this.

One of the most popular convertibles from the Bentley lineup is the modern Bentley Azure. First made in 1995, the Bentley Azure is a 4-seater convertible that continues to evolve over the years. The first Azure was a car designed around the Continental R platform, making it a very stable and very high-performance vehicle. At 210 inches long, and 5,750+ lbs. heavy, the first Azure was an imposing vehicle, startling and surprising onlookers with its massive size. To move this behemoth of a car, the Azure was equipped with a 6.75 liter V8 engine that was able to produce 400 horsepower, which also meant the car was capable of very good speeds. In fact, the first Azure was able to go from 0-60 in just over 6 seconds, an amazing feat considering its size and weight.

The second generation of Azure came in 2006, and had a 3 year run. This time, the Azure would be using the Arnage platform, and would use a Bentley turbocharged V8 twin-turbocharged engine able to put out 450 hp. This meant the Azure would have improved power and speed, and was claimed to be able to go from 0-60 in 5.6 seconds, which is a slight improvement over the first version.

The latest incarnation of the Azure is the Azure T, which features and even more powerful engine, in addition to modern features like an iPod and USB dock, Electronic Stability Programme, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, and more.