2009 Bentley Brooklands - Interior and Specs - First Drive

Inside, the interior is redolent with the warm glow of polished walnut, bright flashes of stainless steel, and the rich tang of leather. Especially leather. Even the roof lining is leather. It takes 16 cow hides, 125 hours labor, and 43,507 stitches just to trim the interior of a Brooklands. The wood veneers alone take a month to complete. Because there's no need for the rollover hoops and softtop mechanism of the Azure convertible, rear-seat room is astonishing, even for passengers over 6 feet tall. The rear seats are set 4 inches further back than in the Azure to improve legroom, and almost an inch lower than in the Arnage to maximize headroom.

Just 550 Brooklands coupes will be made -- this car is effectively the last hurrah for the Arnage/Azure line, which will be replaced in 2009 by an all-new big Bentley codenamed BY601. Insiders hint the Brooklands is a bridge to the new car, which will retain the iconic 6.75-liter V-8, but will have a new body structure, more interior room, better ergonomics, and lighter weight. For now, though, the chic Continental GT might be a quicker, more agile, more sophisticated coupe, but the majestic Brooklands is the real Bentley.