Bentley Continental GT Azure Celebrates 80 Years of Crewe Craftsmanship

• The bespoke Continental GT Azure celebrates 80 years of Bentley production at Crewe, which began with the Mark VI in 1946.
• Mulliner drew inspiration from a rare two-tone green-and-black H.J. Mulliner-bodied Mark VI preserved in Bentley’s Heritage Collection.
• Beyond its unique colours, the Continental GT Azure showcases Bentley craftsmanship through specially selected leather, intricate stitching, burr walnut veneer and anniversary-specific details.

Eight decades of Bentley production in Crewe

Bentley is marking an important milestone in 2026: 80 years of automobile production at its historic Crewe facility in England. Rather than simply looking back at the cars produced there since 1946, the British manufacturer has created a bridge between two very different eras of luxury motoring.

At the centre of the celebration is a unique Continental GT Azure commissioned through Mulliner. The car takes its inspiration from a Bentley Mark VI in the company’s Heritage Collection, specifically a coachbuilt example completed by H.J. Mulliner with a distinctive green-and-black colour scheme.

The two cars are separated by roughly eight decades, yet their connection illustrates how Bentley’s interpretation of luxury has evolved without completely abandoning traditional craftsmanship.

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Crewe’s automotive history began in 1946, although the Pyms Lane factory itself dates to 1938 and was originally constructed to produce Rolls-Royce Merlin aircraft engines. The first Bentley built there was the Mark VI.

Mulliner Turns History Into a Modern Continental GT

Bentley customers can currently choose from nearly 100 exterior paint finishes, but Mulliner deliberately avoided creating something overtly contemporary for this project.

Instead, the designers returned to the restrained appearance of the historic Mark VI.

The Continental GT Azure receives solid Barnato Green paint combined with a contrasting Mulliner Black roof. The treatment recreates the general character of its predecessor without attempting to turn the modern Continental into a replica.

Contemporary elements remain prominent, including the carbon-fibre Styling Specification and 22-inch ten-spoke wheels finished in black with bright-machined surfaces. Black brake calipers and self-levelling Bentley “B” wheel badges complete the exterior presentation.

It is an interesting demonstration of how bespoke work can go beyond simply selecting unusual colours. Mulliner has effectively translated the visual identity of a coachbuilt automobile from 1950 onto a completely different modern platform.

Craftsmanship Takes Centre Stage Inside

The connection becomes even more apparent in the cabin, where materials and traditional finishing techniques play a central role.

The original Mark VI represented considerable luxury for the post-war period, using Connolly leather, walnut veneer and wool-pile carpeting. The new Continental GT Azure follows a similar philosophy but demonstrates just how far Bentley’s craftspeople can now take those materials.

Cricket Ball main hide provides a deep red primary colour, complemented by Beluga secondary leather. Contrast stitching and piping, embroidered Azure emblems, diamond quilting and carefully executed perforations add layers of detail that highlight the hand-finished nature of the interior.

Woodwork provides another direct link to the past. Dark-stained burr walnut is positioned over Grand Black piano veneer, with the two surfaces separated by a thin chrome pinstripe extending across the dashboard and into the waistrails.

Bentley’s Rotating Display adds a clever modern dimension. It can show the infotainment touchscreen, a set of traditional analogue instruments or simply a veneer panel. In its most traditional configuration, technology effectively disappears behind craftsmanship.

Special treadplates provide the final historical reference, featuring outlines of both the Mark VI and Continental GT alongside an inscription commemorating Crewe production from 1946 to 2026.

The Mark VI That Inspired the Project

The original Mark VI occupies an important place in Bentley history. Powered by a 4,257-cc six-cylinder engine, it developed a reputation for durability while establishing itself as a successful luxury automobile during the difficult post-war years.

Bentley ultimately produced 4,001 examples between 1946 and 1951, including 3,171 with the standard steel body.

The Heritage Collection car is considerably rarer. It is one of only 241 four-door, six-light saloons coachbuilt by H.J. Mulliner. Originally delivered in January 1950, it eventually joined Bentley’s Heritage Collection in 2021.