Bentley Azure in Beverly Hills

A rare white 2007 Bentley Azure, one of 712 second-generation Azures built, driving in Beverly Hills.

I have to admit I love cars like this. It's a two-door convertible, but it has a larger footprint than many SUV's. It was one of the most luxurious cars of its time, yet instead of focusing on rear passenger comfort it has an open top and is all about letting the owner look and feel good in it. Sure, it may not handle like a sports car. But it has plenty of power when you need it; this driver made a quick pass around traffic at the end of the video, and it looked quite effortless - amazing for a car weighing almost 6,000 pounds. The Azure wasn't a limited edition, but it's more rare than many special editions cars, simply because there weren't many people on the planet who were rich enough - and awesome enough - to buy one.

Built from 2006 to 2009, the second-generation Bentley Azure was pretty much in a class of its own. Rolls-Royce soon joined the party with the Phantom Drophead Coupe, but that car has noticeably more imposing styling which some liked more than others. Contrary to what celebrity culture wants everyone to believe, not all rich people crave attention. And of these two ultra-luxury "land yachts", the Bentley was the preferred choice for those who wanted to enjoy open-air luxury cruising with more simple and traditional styling that displayed wealth without attracting excessive attention.

Unfortunately, both the Azure and the Phantom DHC ended production without a direct successor. Bentley did build a Mulsanne-based convertible, but so few were made that I'd barely consider it a production car. The current Bentley GTC and recently-discontinued Rolls-Royce Dawn are both excellent ultra-luxury convertibles, but they simply don't offer the sheer size and presence that make cars like the Azure so special. And now that Bentley has axed the Mulsanne with no plans to build another flagship sedan, it's highly unlikely that there will be a new Azure in the future.

Do you think Bentley should return to building large luxury convertibles like the Azure? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!