Crewe, England  - Bentley has upgraded its luxury Azure T convertible with a more powerful 500 hp engine and stylistic cues to enhance the sporty image.

The Azure T comes with 20-inch, five-spoke wheels, front wing vents, a dark tinted matrix grille and a sculpted, retractable "Flying B" bonnet mascot.

The twin-turbocharged V8 engine, produces 500 hp and 1,000 Nm of torque, has been given a boost of 11 per cent in power and torque was increased 14 per cent over its 450bhp/875 Nm Azure stable mate.

Top speed is listed at 288 kilometres an hour with acceleration from zero to 100 km/h at 5.2 Seconds.

"The new Azure T reflects our passion for creating the world's most exhilarating and prestigious convertibles that, true to the Bentley T tradition, blend sophistication with a powerful presence," says Stuart McCullough, member of the board for sales and marketing.

Standard interior design enhancements include diamond quilting on the seats and door panels, embroidered Bentley emblems on the front and rear seat centre and a choice of eight unbleached veneers and 25 hides from the full Bentley range.

An option is a premium audio system which Bentley describes as the "world's best in-car sound stage" with 10 speakers, a dual channel sub-woofer and an 1,100 Watt amplifier, reproducing a "live concert-like experience."

Bentley says it has spent "significant time and effort" into making the Azure T's folding roof highly functional. It is operated hydraulically at the push of a button. The three-layer canvas roof is then elegantly stowed beneath the rear parcel shelf in 25 seconds.

As the roof is held in a separate well area, there is no impact on the boot space which was designed to hold two sets of golf clubs and hand luggage.

Originally unveiled as a concept car at the Los Angeles Show in January 2005, the Azure T production model makes its official debut at this month's LA Motor Show. (dpa)