The Bentley Azure was all-new for 2007, although that’s a relative term considering its architecture dates back to 1998 and its engine to the 1950s. The Azure is a four-seat, soft-top convertible available in only one trim and with one engine: Bentley’s venerable 6.75-liter V8, twin-turbocharged to make 450 horsepower and 685 pound-feet of torque. Bentley says the Azure can go from zero to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and hit a top speed of 171 mph.
At more than $330,000, the Azure packs standard features aplenty with 19-inch wheels, xenon headlights, power-adjustable front seats, tri-zone climate control, DVD navigation and parking sensors. In true Bentley fashion, there are numerous customization choices for this handbuilt convertible, including 39 color choices. As nice as all its stately leather and veneer wood trim is, we can’t help but feel the interior is a little disjointed. After all, this car wasn’t designed with modern-day electronics in mind.
While there’s no denying the Bentley Azure is a beautiful automobile, there’s also no escaping the fact that it’s mostly an obscenely expensive fashion accessory. Bentley’s own Continental GTC is more powerful, more refined and less ridiculously expensive, although it lacks that “je ne sais quoi” that makes the Azure such a favorite among the old- and new-money elite.
