By Camilo Alfaro

In a routine phone call to Dave Reuter, Public Relations guru for Bentley, something amazing happened.
"Dave, I am going to San Jose for a weekend vacation," I commented.
"Well, how about something nice for your trip, like an Azure," Dave said in a serious voice as my phone headset dropped on the ground and my hands started shaking profusely.
"That could work," I said in an excited tone as if I had just won the lottery. I thought I might awake from my dream at any moment, but there I was arriving in San Jose International Airport to embark on one of the greatest experiences of all time: the Bentley experience. As I walked out of baggage claim, a tall representative of Bentley greeted me as he was standing next to the newly designed 2007 Bentley Azure with a set of keys.
"Mr. Alfaro, here is the Azure. We will see you Monday," said the Bentley representative, which went through one ear and out the other because I just couldn't take my eyes off the silver Tempest Azure (like a metallic gun barrel silver) with Linen Beige leather interior.
Pronounced "az-jour," it is based off the beautiful Arnage four-door sedan. I had never seen an Azure before, not on the road, not in a show room, not anywhere. The Azure was produced from 1995 to 2002; about 1,500 vehicles were sold during that time. It came back to life in December of 2006. The Azure brings exclusivity and class to the table, and only 400 fine examples will be produced a year, with a starting price of $338,000. Just a select few will be behind the wheel of this ultra luxury mega-car. The Azure is for the most extravagant buyer with deep pockets who seeks the best that money can buy.
The Azure stops both traffic and pedestrians, capturing them with its classic Bentley beauty. Lowering the power top caused a commotion at the airport and left passengers with a 23-second show. One person came to me and said, "This is the most beautiful car I have ever seen." This was the first of a plethora of comments that I would hear for the next three days. With the sun shining and the key in the ignition (that's right, no keyless starting system here), I turned the key to bring the Azure into exhilarating life on the scenic coast of the Pacific Ocean.
Carefully entering the Azure, you are immediately transported into its world. A world of luxury, power and status. The vast amount of stunning gauges surrounded by Burr Oak awakens. I was impressed by the interior's extensive amount of craftsmanship and attention to detail. I felt as if I were waiting for the Queen at Buckingham Palace. No expense or detail was spared; it even had two additional handles located on the rear half of the doors so that the back-seat passengers do not have to reach frontward to open the door. The dash is a work of art, and one could argue that it belongs in a museum. The Northern England leather is as soft as silk, and the intoxicating leather smell abounds in the cabin. Even the six-speaker Alpine stereo system would impress the most demanding audiophile. Individual climate control buttons fill the center dash. I know what you’re thinking: my Cadillac CTS comes with that and so do many vehicles. However, in the Azure, you have the choices of not only for temperature but also individual fan speed and the directions it exits the vents: directed to the floor, defrost, center or any combination of these functions.
The 6.75-liter V-8 twin turbocharged engine produces 450 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque paired to a six-speed automatic transmission with sport mode. The Azure weighs in at 5942 pounds, and it shows in its mileage consumption, receiving an EPA rating of only 10 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. The V8 is based off a Bentley engine from the 1950s.
"People might raise an eyebrow when they are told that the V8 engine in their 2007 model year Azure was first used by Bentley in 1959," said Bentley Motor’s Director for Powertrain and Chassis, Brian Gush. "But the reality is the basic design was so good that we have been able to continually improve it for nearly 50 years."
No eyebrows raised here, Mr. Gush; the engine is strong and powerful enough to propel the Azure from 0-60 mph in just 5.6 seconds and has a top speed of 168 mph.
After two short hours of driving down Highway 1, I followed the exit signs for Monterey and checked out this historically posh town. Cruising through town, the Azure does what it does best, turning heads and leaving admirers drooling. People stared at the Azure wondering if I was some high power executive, or a musician. I am neither, just a journalist looking for some rest and relaxation.
Driving over the mountains, the Azure is pure happiness. I smiled from ear to ear and enjoyed the Quail Lodge Resort nestled between 850 acres of lush fairways in the Carmel Valley. This four-star resort, owned and operated by the infamous Peninsula Hotel, offers guests a vast amount of activities including championship golf, the Land Rover Experience (an off-road driving experience), spa, pet-friendly resort and most importantly, award-winning food! That evening, I had to try the Covey restaurant, which has been awarded with the "Best of Award of Excellence" from Wine Spectator Magazine. Growing up in Chicago, I know food. Therefore, I decided to further investigate the restaurant in the name of the Azure. The Foie Gras Torchon with kumquat jam was spectacular and literally melted in my mouth. The Colorado rack of lamb with aged balsamic, prepared by Chef Matt Bolton, was delectable and one of the best I have ever had. The dishes were paired specially with a bottle of 1995 Far Niente Cabernet.
The Quail Lodge features the Lifestyle Academy, a one-stop concierge service that prepares activities for you, like driving the Laguna Seca track in a Porsche, or anything you want. However, I already had my daily activity planned, and it involved the Azure and me heading south towards Big Sur, crossing the renowned Bixby Bridge.
In the Azure, you feel like you own the road. It is a big car with a length of 212.6 –inches, and it feels like your driving a land-yacht. The ride is like the old cliché of driving on clouds, yet the Azure comes with a sport mode that stiffens the suspension. It is not a Ferrari, so don't expect to carve the road but the Azure can take care of its own, especially with the vast amount of power and torque. Punching it, the twin turbos react, the V-8 awakens and you feel the 645 pound-feet of torque pushing your body into the heart of the leather seats. The only complaint I have is the exhaust and engine tone while accelerating seemed more like a semi than a refined ultra-luxury car. Yet when you’re cruising, you don’t hear anything because the vast amount of insulation, such as the double pane windows and the three-layered insulated convertible top.
For being such an exclusive car, it was weird to see that the Flying-B (hood ornament) only retracts manually versus automatically, similar to the one found in the new Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe.
Driving back to towards San Jose, I decided to keep moving towards San Francisco and check out the wharf. I ended up staying one more night, just so I could drive the Azure across Golden Gate Bridge. I stayed right across Chinatown at the four-star Omni San Francisco Hotel. In my quest to get the finest Chinese food available, the concierge recommended a small restaurant called House of Nanking that was as good as the amazing Pine Yard restaurant in Evanston, Illinois.
As the clock ticked down to my time to return to Chicago, my love affair with the Azure ended. No doubt, it is the most exclusive car I have driven to date on the best road in the country, Highway 1. Arriving at the terminal, I saw the same Bentley representative waiting for the Azure. He asked me how I enjoy the vehicle, and in return, he received a smile and a nod and he knew right away that the Azure had left me speechless.