We have been inundated with demand for a new Azure virtually from the moment the original model ceased production,” commented Adrian Hallmark, member of the board, sales and marketing. “The exclusivity, style, luxury and performance of the new Bentley convertible flagship evoke the Riviera lifestyle like no other, fully justifying the revival of the Azure name.”

Anyone who thought that Bentleys flagship Arnage was on its way out of production after the unprecedented sales success the luxury marque has experienced with its new Continental

The Arnage is the only quarter-million dollar luxury sedan — or “saloon,” as the Brits say — currently on the market. Other full-size luxury sedans are either a whole lot more (Rolls-Royce Phantom) or a whole lot less expensive (Mercedes-Benz S-Class). The Arnage was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1998, along with a mechanical twin from Rolls-Royce called the Silver Seraph (holding company Vickers Plc. owned the company that manufactured both Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars back then). There was a lot of interest in that debut, because the cars were the first entirely new designs for the two brands since 1980.

Nine years later, both companies are owned by rival German manufacturers — Bentley by Volkswagen and Rolls-Royce by BMW. Only the Arnage survived and its elegant shape is a classic that will never look passé.

There are three sedan variants on the Arnage platform: the performance-oriented, 500-hp, twin-turbocharged T, which we tested, the slightly more relaxed 450-hp R and the long-wheelbase RL. The ultra-rare $329,990 Azure Convertible is also spun from the Arnage line, though it has only two doors.

The 2007 Bentley Arnage T, though, is different. This is a car that was developed in the mid-’90s and can trace its lineage back to the 1920s and the time of W.O. Bentley. Priced from $242,990, it remains the choice of the discerning, old-money elite. Its British owners are often prefixed by the title “Lord” or “Her Majesty.”

Since its 1998 unveil, the car has undergone several significant overhauls. The old Bentley 6.75-liter turbocharged V8 was reintroduced in 1999 and a heavily revised version of the same engine — now featuring twin turbos — was introduced in 2002 as part of a raft of dynamic changes. Then in 2005, the styling was revised with the return of round.

2007 Bentley Arnage Models:
2007 Bentley Arnage R
2007 Bentley Arnage T
2007 Bentley Arnage RL