1998 Bentley Azure

This gleaming black Azure comes to us courtesy of a vendor who is the executor of his late brother’s estate – his brother having being the owner of three Bentleys, including this car – which he bought in 2017. 

We consider it to be in very decent overall condition. 

It arrived looking like a car that hadn’t been driven for some time, but even the relatively small amount of effort we put into giving it a quick wash and scrub revealed that it would not take much more to return much of its former class and magnificence. 

The hood, which is otherwise in very fine condition, is not currently working. 

We don’t know the underlying cause. 

The car comes with an MoT that’s valid until March 2024. 

The odometer is currently showing some 74,000 miles. 

In 2006, it had 50,000 miles on the clock. Clearly, then, it’s led a fairly sedentary and pampered life, as befits a boulevard cruiser of this quality and opulence. 

But please don’t confuse lack of use with an absence of care or attention. The car comes with plenty of invoices attesting to the significant amount of work – much of it fairly recent – done to it by respected Bentley specialists over the years.

These are truly imposing, eye-catching vehicles that hark back to an era of luxury cars in which expenses weren’t spared, compromises weren’t entertained, and restraint wasn’t exercised. 

It’s hard to think of anything bigger that has just two doors. An Amish barn, perhaps? Maybe a Neolithic long barrow?

Either way, it’s impossible to drive or sit in one of these without summoning up a powerful sense of occasion, particularly as it will soon become apparent that every other road user or passer-by is staring intently at you.

We think the black paintwork adds even more magisterial grandeur to this car’s aesthetics.

The bodywork is devoid of any dinks, dents, bangs, crumples, creases, ripples or folds that we can discern.

The panels are smooth and even, the shut-lines and panel gaps are crisp and consistent.

The wheels, refurbished in 2022, are beyond reproach and the matching Michelin Latitude Sport 3 tyres look to have plenty of life left in them.

The black paintwork has retained an impressive amount of shine and lustre.

There are a few scuffs and scrapes on the bumper, particularly on the wrap-around section on the offside.  

The bonnet and front wings have a few light scratches, and there are a couple of scuffs and some swirly scratches on the boot lid.

The roof doesn’t currently operate fully (it doesn't complete a full cycle, and this is probably due to the loss of some fluid that is evident underneath the hydraulic mechanism in the the boot).  The hood looks to be in otherwise good condition.

The inside of this majestic car, you won’t be entirely surprised to learn, is every bit a match for its exterior counterpart. 

The black leather seats, front and back, are untroubled by much more than the lightest of creases, let alone any ingrained patina, and the only light scuffs we could find were on the shoulders of the front seats. 

The door cards are in fine fettle, as is the roof lining, save for a loose section at the base of the nearside ‘C’ pillar.

The carpets and mats are following a very similar script in terms of quality and condition. 

The veneers on the dashboard, centre console and door cappings appear to have resisted the tendency to crack or de-lacquer with commendable fortitude.

The steering wheel, gear selector, instruments, dials and controls all look good to us – although a warning light bearing the message ‘Mineral Oil Low’ comes on intermittently. 

The ‘Resume’ button is missing from the cruise control stalk on the steering column, and the o/s/r interior light is not working.

The engine bay is clean, dry and tidy. 

The undersides look to be possessed of plenty of structural integrity and nothing we’ve seen has prompted us to tut or raise an eyebrow.

This car doesn’t come with a service pack or manuals, but it does have a record of servicing and maintenance and quite a number of invoices to back it up.

Recently, at 72,000 miles, it was the recipient of, among other things, a replacement steering rack, new engine mounts, and a variety of new fluids, hoses, gaskets and filters. It had a new battery in 2023.

In addition to various receipts and bills, the car comes with a detailed spec sheet (which proves that it is in its original colours), a purchase invoice from 2017, and a V5.

The car comes with two sets of keys and a clean HPI check.

This is a good, solid, relatively low-mileage example of one of the most impressive ultra-luxury convertible coupés ever made.

It is in really pretty good overall condition, inside and out, and we’re confident that it will brush up very well indeed. 

We are happy to offer this sumptuous vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £45,000 - £50,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.