If you’re looking for a car for your driver to drive – a car in which you can be chauffeured around in luxury above all else – the 2009 Bentley Azure is the car for you. This is a car that hearkens back to the British tradition of, “We’re British, and you can very well deal with it.”

Let’s get this out of the way first – this car is rated amongst the least fuel-efficient cars in its class at only 9 mpg in the city and 15 mpg on the highway. However, know that this is like telling someone that they should refrain from buying the $20,000 shoes because you can get them for a bargain $15,500 across town. The people who can buy this car know all this and, refreshingly, they don’t care.

This car leaks “conspicuous consumption” like a Fiat leaks oil. This is, to be blunt, a $330,000 car. Let that sink in. This car costs more than most of the houses on the market today. But what’s mildly unsettling is that this car is a relative steal when compared to the $434,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe.

After you’ve caught your breath, you should know that for that price, you don’t get particularly good handling. The BMW M6 goes for a third of this price handles like a dream. But then again, this is a meaningless argument for anyone who can realistically buy this kind of cars. Azure buyers may already have an M6 or two sitting in the garage that they snagged from great grand-dad’s stables. In this market, what everybody’s buying are image and exclusivity, and Bentley’s Azure not only has that – it defines it.

When reduced down to its components, the 2009 Bentley Azure is a four-seat, soft-top convertible offered at a single trim level. But what a level! Standard features include a power-operated cloth convertible top, 19-inch wheels, xenon gas headlights, power-adjustable front seats, a power tilt-only steering wheel, driver memory functions, three zone climate control and a six-disc CD changer with a sound system capable of putting an entire symphony at your command – just like at home. In addition, there’s a DVD navigation system and front and rear parking sensors.

And, as you’d expect, Bentley has a truly impressive array of customization options for wheels and interior materials – perfect for the discerning auto owner that wants to match his car to his favorite suit. You can also get carbon-ceramic brakes, giving you a smooth stop as you glide up next to someone else in traffic and ask for the Grey Poupon.

If you’re reading this on the Internet – or having your butler read this to you from the Internet – the sun is probably breaking over the sea at the Hamptons. You’re probably already comfortable with the fact that you can actually afford this car. So, by all means, go out and buy one. It’s a continuation of the grand tradition of luxury that Bentley has always meant and will be fine addition to any auto stable.