I’m rarely at a loss for words when cars are concerned. Whether it’s utterly misguided BS or well-researched information is sometimes a matter of some debate, but that’s never stopped me from writing another paragraph. However, when I chanced upon this white monster a couple months ago, the waffling was replaced by baffling. All of the online sleuthing I could muster did little to change that. It did give me just enough to finagle some sort of post, but I still have more questions than answers.
I’m sure we’re all more or less acquainted with the Azure, at least in theory. These were born back in 1995, derived from the early ‘90s Continental R coupé that heralded the return of Bentley as its own marque, relatively speaking. The 6.75 litre turbo V8 (providing a very healthy 385hp, from 1997 onwards) and everything around it is all Rolls-Royce technology, but at least this design was reserved for Bentley only. The power soft top was designed and made in Italy by Pininfarina, making this the most expensive car in the Bentley range.
In 1999, Bentley introduced the Mulliner version of the Azure – just an extra level in the amount of bespoke customization available to the well-heeled customer who elected to purchase one of these rare automobiles. Production rarely reached above 200 units per year until the model was pensioned off in 2003 – in all, about 1300 were made, 80% of which were LHD like our feature car. So far, so pretty clear-cut.
The state of the car is a little unusual, due to its being “stored” under an overpass for a long time – alongside a number of other expensive British cars, might I add (remember this one?). So it’s far dustier than the usual Tokyo show queens we’ve grown accustomed to seeing on CC. But this particular car is a lot more quirky and murky than the usual Azure (whatever that means), due to its peculiar tonneau cover. Not to mention that dodgy-looking “Azure Spyder” badge… The plot thickens.
There are traces of this very car on the web, including a set of detailed interior photos published nine years ago, and a more recent one with the top down. The problem is trying to interpret the sparse and sibylline comments written on these couple of pages featuring this clearly unique Azure. It doesn’t seem that this is the Mulliner version (unlike what one of the pages seems to claim), as those have quad exhausts and wing extensions, but then who made the elaborate tonneau cover on this car?
Well, according again to our Google-translated Japanese internet sources, it seems that this “Spyder” was the work of Kondo Manabu. From what I could gather, this firm was (and perhaps still is?) a luxury car dealer / specialist in Kyoto with a particular focus on Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and, oddly enough, the Toyota Century. But that’s all I could find about them, really. So if this Bentley special their handiwork, did they do more than one? Who ordered this car originally? Why is it now gathering dust outdoors? How come it has pre-1997 wheels and a post-1998 mesh grille? Lots of questions, but few concrete answers.
The grime on the windows defeated my attempts at capturing the interior, unfortunately. Just another in a long list of pending issues regarding this car that will just have to remain unsolved for the time being. But hey, even a small CC post about the Bentley Azure – even in this so-called “Spyder” variation – is arguably better than none at all. Perhaps CC’s legendary collective intelligence can figure some of this out. Anyone’s spydery sense tingling?
Tonneau cover???
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonneau
Anyway, I don’t know about custom work in Japan, but in America, I’d put my money on “rebuilt from a wreck” using whatever parts could be gathered-up; and with the lowest-cost “custom” touches when original parts can’t be located (or just cost too much.) Then the rebuilt wreck is passed-off as “we intended it this way” with a 3-D printed “Spyder” emblem on the back.
IF (big IF) the rework is good; and the seller is honest about it, I guess there’s no harm/no foul. But rebuilding wrecks and then being dodgy about it can get a person free room ‘n’ board at the Greybar Hotel in this country.
I hadn’t thought of it being a rebuild, but the horrid fit between the headlamp bezels, hood, and fenders makes me think you could be right.
So what is up with the weird license plates?
Exactly my question. I’m guessing these are custom plates if it has the lone “7” numeral on it.
From the top of the plate:
The Kanji characters indicate the registration location.
In this case, it is Shinagawa, which is one of 4 vehicle registration offices in Tokyo, and probably the most centrally located one. Pretty much equivalent to seeing a “75” for a Paris-registered car in France,
the “300” next to the characters at the top indicate it is a passenger car with 2000 cc engine displacement or above.
Underneath, there is a kana character (in this case, “se”) which is like a leading sequence, similar to A-Z, then, usually a 00-00 numerical sequence. In this case, there’s only a single number, “7”. Which is unusual.
The owner’s probably waiting for parts, or finding the money.
Literally, a land yacht. I live in a fairly major western capital city, and I’d never see an outlandish car like this, in a decade of car spotting. It doesn’t convey taste, if that was the owner’s aim. 🙂
I normally like older Bentleys, but something about this car, perhaps the all white finish, coloured bumpers, visible shut lines, odd tonneau, drooping suspension and just the bulk makes me pause.
Does “tonneau” mean something different in the Queen’s English? There’s no tonneau to be seen here.
Tonneau to me would mean a flat cover for a convertible that would extend from to dash to the top of the boot. MGBs often had them, allowing parking without top being raised. Tonneau also refers to a ute cover.
Tonneau cover can mean also (as it does in this Bentley’s case) a rigid fairing that extends from the rear seat to cover the space between said seat and the bootlid. As in the 1962 Ford Tbird sports roadster. https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19746/lot/358/
Oh, I see it now. Maybe a closer shot of it would have made that obvious. Or pointing it out in the text.
The majority of our readers use mobile devices; it’s not likely that they would see that thing inside the closed roof on a phone screen.
The panel gaps are interesting Ive never seen a Bentley or Roller badly assembled like that, they take extreme care to get that stuff right and so do the coach building types who do custom bodywork especially the Japanese.
Those tonneaus are really only visible in the photos you linked to (and I didn’t know those were called tonneaus until you explained it above. So thanks for enlightning me). They sure indicate custom work. But the intial indicator for me was the clear headlamp lenses. Did they come with those originally? I don’t remember seeing them, but then I have not actually seen one of these in the flesh before.
I really like the coupe of these. It exudes class to me. This white-on-white setup with malfunctioning air suspension and soft top does not do it for me at all.
The boot, or trunk, has a very sharp edge on 3 sides and is raised about 3’ higher than a normal Azure. The customization with the tonneau must have required more height in the boot area.
In 1999, after BMW took them over, you could order a chrome bezel to go around each of the 4 individual head lamps. In some color combinations the bezels seem to over power the grille.
I have a 1998 Azure, all black with a cream interior. It’s the last year RR made them.
Interesting .
I am old enough yo remember Arthur Mullinner who was a specialist car body builder In northamp his works were near the Carlesberg Brewery and the Plough Hotel.
Sounds beautiful.