Anorak corner 6 - Bentley's individually signed engines

A bit of under-bonnet detail from the Bentley Azure test. At least on the more expensive models using the most recent versions of the traditional Rolls/Bentley 6 3/4 litre V8 that dates back to the fifties, the company still fits a little plaque bearing the name of the person that put the engine together. The engine on our test car was assembled by P.A. Titley. I'm happy to report that Mr Titley appears to have done a magnificent job (at least I'm assuming it's a Mr Titley rather than a Ms Titley, even in these liberated times) in this case.


Aston Martin fits these little plates as well but recently they have borne the name of the person who carried out the final inspection, presumably because that company's engines are no longer made the old-fashioned way. I don't suppose making people put their name to their work is an absolute guarantee of quality (think of all those corny Verdict test write-ups that have appeared under my by-line) but I'm sure it helps.

What's outside today 14 - Bentley Azure

This just went back to Bentley about an hour ago. I think it's the most expensive car we've had on the Verdict, with the possible exception of the Maybach that featured a few months ago. How expensive? GBP225,000 - and that's without counting in the value of that number plate which I'm guessing must be worth as much again, recalling as it does the initials of W O Bentley, the original founder of the company.


There's no experience quite like that of driving the Azure - the view out along the long, long bonnet topped with the traditional winged 'B' is simply terrific.


Just like the octagons that appeared everywhere on Austin Rover's reinvented MGs in the 1980s, that Bentley 'B' is ever present in the Arnage. It appears on the wheel centres and on the button on top of the gear selector, for example, and even on the little dust caps on the tyre valves. I was especially relieved that these beautiful and highly covetable items survived until the end of our testing un-nicked.