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| All Bentleys are handcrafted, depicted here as a skilled artisan hand-stitches carefully chosen leather onto a steering wheel. (Photo: Bentley Motors) |
Its sports seats and door inserts are diamond quilted while either dark stained walnut veneer or black lacquered trim accents the cabin. When the walnut is chosen the winged Bentley signature badge highlights the waist rails. As well, audiophiles will enjoy an upgraded Alpine stereo system incorporating a multi-disc CD changer and MP3 playback.
And if either model's already generous features and rare exclusivity are too mainstream for your tastes, the Crewe based firm continues to offer its Bentley Mulliner services to uniquely customize the new Continental R or Azure Final Series car to meet its customer's own, individual specifications.
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| The Azura Final Series is the last of an era. Bentley's will no longer share components and overall design architecture with Rolls-Royce models, but will pull resources from Volkswagen AG's Audi in the case of the 2004 Continental GT. (Photo: Bentley Motors) |
Truly, Bentleys are motorcars that have no direct peers. On the rare occasion that I catch an example cruising along the boulevards that line the better side of town, it's a feast for the eyes and boost to the spirit. To actually live with one on a daily basis is a dream that for most will never come to pass.
That said if you are so blessed and manage to purchase a Bentley Continental R or Azure, and while easing your way down Main Street you happen to notice a certain medium height, median aged automotive journalist grinning inanely at your car, please slow down and appreciate that I'm, at that moment, living vicariously through you.