Eight decades separate the 1946 Bentley Mark VI from the current Continental GT Azure, yet both share something essential: the same vision of British luxury, born in Crewe and built around craftsmanship, comfort and elegance.
This link between past and present takes centre stage at the celebration of 80 years of Bentley production in Crewe, an event organised by the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) at the British Motor Museum. The gathering brings together members’ cars from all over the world and offers a journey through the history of the factory, from the Mark VI to the most recent generations of the Continental GT.
To mark the occasion, Mulliner has created a one-off Continental GT Azure that draws on the design cues of one of the most special cars in Bentley’s Heritage Collection. The inspiration comes from a 1950 Mark VI with bodywork by H.J. Mulliner and a two-tone green and black finish – a model that bridges the origins of production in Crewe with the contemporary interpretation of the British firm’s grand tourer.
The tribute, however, avoids being a literal reproduction. At a time when Bentley customers can choose from nearly a hundred exterior finishes, Mulliner has opted to deliberately return to a classic colour palette. The bodywork is finished in Barnato Green, combined with a Mulliner Black roof that replicates the colour contrast of the historic car. The 22-inch ten-spoke wheels, black brake calipers and carbon-fibre elements lend a more contemporary feel.
The connection to the Mark VI continues in the cabin. The main Cricket Ball leather, in a rich reddish hue, is combined with Beluga leather and details such as contrast stitching, piping, embroidered Azure emblems and diamond-quilting. These features evoke the material opulence of classic Bentleys, whilst being executed using modern craftsmanship and technical capabilities.
The wood provides another of the most subtle nods to the mid-20th-century model. In a nod to the Mark VI’s walnut dashboard, the Continental GT Azure features dark, grained walnut set against a Grand Black piano veneer finish. A thin chrome line runs across the dashboard, accentuating the contrast between the two surfaces. The Bentley Rotating Display also allows you to choose between the high-definition screen, the traditional analogue dials or a wooden surface, blending technology and tradition without disrupting the visual serenity of the interior.
Behind this classic inspiration lies the level of comfort befitting a contemporary grand tourer. The front seats feature Comfort and Wellness specifications, complemented by an air ioniser and a Naim for Bentley sound system. Mulliner reserves one of the most symbolic details for the door sills, where the silhouettes of the Mark VI and the Continental GT appear, accompanied by an inscription commemorating 80 years of production in Crewe, from 1946 to 2026.
The choice of the Mark VI as a benchmark is particularly significant. The Pyms Lane factory had been built in 1938 to produce Rolls-Royce Merlin aircraft engines and began a new chapter as a car manufacturing plant in 1946. The first vehicle to roll off its production lines was, in fact, a Bentley Mark VI.
The model would go on to become the most successful Bentley of its era. By the time production ceased in 1951, 4,001 units had been manufactured, of which 3,171 featured the standard steel body. The car that now serves as inspiration for Mulliner is even more unique. It forms part of a series of just 241 four-door, six-window saloons bodied by H.J. Mulliner. It was delivered to its first owner in January 1950 and joined the Bentley Heritage Collection in 2021.
The celebration thus offers the chance to view side by side two cars separated by 80 years of evolution. One dates back to the beginning of Bentley’s industrial history in Crewe, whilst the other represents the brand’s current interpretation of luxury and personalisation. Between the two, technology, performance and manufacturing capabilities have changed, yet an almost obsessive attention to materials, comfort and craftsmanship remains.
The Continental GT Azure, designed by Mulliner, does not seek to recreate the past. Its appeal lies precisely in the opposite: in demonstrating how an aesthetic born eight decades ago can retain its relevance when interpreted from a contemporary perspective. An exercise in continuity that transforms Crewe’s anniversary into more than just a retrospective and serves as a reminder that, in the world of luxury, tradition acquires true value when it is capable of evolving.
