Bentley is celebrating the 70th birthday of the 1953 R-Type Continental—more specifically—the one with the JAS 949 license plate, with a one-off Continental GT Azure. Interestingly, this one-off is not being auctioned off for charity, instead, it is joining Bentley’s UK press fleet. Meaning, a few lucky journalists and so-called “influencers” will have the privilege of driving it.
The exterior of the homage car is hand painted in Old English White—which apparently is a re-creation of a 1950s heritage paint. While JAS 949 rides on 16-inch wheels, the newer version runs on 22-inch hand-finished wheels; it follows a similar black and chrome theme inspired from the original. The cabin is swathed in Cricket Ball leather throughout, mirroring the hide colour of JAS 949. Beluga leather piping adds a subtle contrast into the cabin while preserving the design lines.
The JAS 949 was delivered to its first owner, Dr. Rowland Guenin of Switzerland, in December 1953. It was ordered in Ivory with a Red interior, a specification it retains today along with the original 4.6-litre straight-six engine paired with a manual gearbox. Bentley re-acquired the car in 2001 and is part of the company’s Heritage Collection.
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