Bentley Rolls Out Mulliner Istanbul Silhouette Collection

Before going any further, Istanbul is a humongous city that straddles the Bosporus Strait between Europe and Asia. Over 15 million souls live there. Istanbul was originally called Byzantium by the Greeks, after which Constantine the Great renamed it Nova Roma in the fourth century. It didn’t stick, which is why New Rome morphed into Constantinople. It became Istanbul after the Ottoman conquest of 1453, although said name became official in the twentieth century, when Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was running the show.

Azure, on the other hand, is Bentley's way of saying nicer interior appointments than standard. This package – which can be considered a trim level as well – premiered in May 2022 across the lineup. Azure slots between the base specification and the S specification, with S standing for – no surprises here – sport. When it was introduced, the Azure package comprised Front Seat Comfort Specification with 22-way adjustable seats, electrically adjustable bolster and seatbelts, as well as six massage modes. But that's not all, though.

Customers are presented with plenty of upholstery choices and open-pore wood veneers, along with the brand's trademark B on the pedals, illuminated treadplates, a heated steering wheel, and mood lighting. Azure goodies also include Bentley Dynamic Ride active anti-roll bars, a head-up display, 22-inch wheels featuring a ten-spoke design, bright chrome for the grilles in the lower front bumper, and the Touring Specification.

Touring Specification is the short way of saying driver-assist systems such as traffic assist, lane assist, and adaptive cruise control. That being said, the Mulliner Istanbul Silhouette Collection trio distinguishes itself by means of Black Sapphire paint, Dragonfly Blue highlights (including on the carbon side skirts), and very special tread plates.

"Istanbul Silhouette Regional Collection" and "One of Three" beautify the plates in question, which also feature a minimalist drawing of the city's Galata Tower, Maiden's Tower, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, and 15 July Martyrs Bridge. All of these landmarks are further embroidered on the seats in Dragonfly Blue. In terms of upholstery, the mix of Imperial Blue and Beluga takes inspiration from the patterned tiles in the Sultan Ahmed Mosque.

Galaxy stone and Piano Imperial Blue wood also need to be mentioned, whereas the finishing touch comes in the form of *checks notes* a "specially designed key box." Finally, the V8 in Azure V8 obviously refers to the Volkswagen Group's twin-turbocharged V8 with Audi's TFSI technology.

Codenamed EA825, the 4.0-liter mill is connected to either an eight-speed automatic in the Bentayga or a dual-clutch box in the Continental GT and Flying Spur. It produces 542 horsepower and 568 pound-feet (770 Nm) in said applications, with top speed ranging between 180 miles per hour (290 kilometers per hour) for the Bentayga Azure V8 to 198 (318) for the hardtop coupe and the sedan.

Not long now, the Continental GT and Continental GTC will be revised for model year 2025. Instead of the recently discontinued twin-turbo W12, the flagship engine option will be a plug-in hybrid built around the group's twin-turbocharged V8 engine.