What do you want in a luxury car? Answers will vary, but they probably overlap in certain places. Finding those overlaps to come to a conclusive definition of luxury has proven difficult for both automakers and customers—not to mention auto journalists. But that doesn’t mean we won’t try.
The Players:
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
BMW 7 Series
Audi A8
Hyundai Equus
Kia K900
Rolls-Royce Ghost
Bentley Mulsanne
Lexus LS
Jaguar XJ
Massaging seats
The massaging seat is a seeming necessity for high-end luxury vehicles. A majority of our luxury gold standards offer them, but by the numbers the Bentley Mulsanne is the best out there.
“Heating and ventilation? Of course. Reclining rear seat? Yes. Five massages with 10 levels of intensity? The Mulsanne knows how to take care of you. The scent isn’t bottled but rather is provided by the fine leather covering nearly every surface.”
This is a must-have option for any true luxury car, as evidenced by its near unanimous adoption in the segment.
High grade leather
Diamond-stitched, Valcona, Nappa, Aniline, twin needle stitching: These are some of the likely descriptions of the seating surfaces. Although high-class seats are not exclusive to the luxury sedan, it’s a segment certainly known for carrying around the best hides in the business. Alcantara has also been proliferating throughout the luxury segment. It’s gained in popularity not only for the fact that it’s synthetic (no dead cows) but also because it’s carbon-neutral, which should appeal to the ultra-luxury EV and hybrid crowd.
Some level of autonomy
Mercedes-Benz has taken the lead here. Its systems literally steer their flagship S-Class down the highway while taking care of all that pesky acceleration and deceleration. The inclusion of at least some driver assistance features if not the ability to nearly drive itself in traffic in nearly every car on our list speaks to the fact that this is a wanted feature. They are nice, and with competent systems starting to trickle down to the proles (see: Subaru Impreza), it’s the sort of thing we can get behind.
Surround Sound Stereo System
At 450 watts and with 19 speakers, the Mark Levinson surround sound system found in the Lexus LS is the most modest system in the bunch. The bespoke 20-speaker, 2,200-watt Naim for Bentley system is the most powerful. The message? Even if you’re not shaking the windows on the country club, having the power to do so is something luxury buyers want.
Scents
Mercedes-Benz and BMW have embraced scents for luxury cars. Rolls-Royce and Bentley tend to just leave the leather to do the smelling, and the rest have yet to add scents. Mercedes-Benz offers four aromas, and BMW offers eight as part of the Ambient Air package. Necessary? Two of the big three German luxury powerhouses thought it important enough to include on their flagship sedans. You be the judge.
The S-Class is standard with “Freeside Mood” but can be had with “Sports Mood,” “Nightlife Mood,” or “Downtown Mood.”
The 7 Series divides its eight fragrances into four categories: Blue Suite, Green Suite, Golden Suite, and Authentic Suite.
On-Call Concierge
Everything from the Hyundai to the Bentley has some level of on-call concierge service, and the message is clear: If you need anything, we’re here for you. It says quite a bit about how valuable these customers are to the automakers. But if I spent close to $100 grand on something, I’d want a little TLC, too.
Fancy Keys
BMW really knocked it out of the park with this one. I mean, the key has a tiny screen on it (don’t forget to charge that, too), and once a few legal hurdles are crossed in the U.S., you can even park it from outside the car by using just the key. Mercedes-Benz appears to be planning a response by allowing the next E-Class to use your smartphone and an authentication app to replace the traditional key. Aston Martin has a glass crystal key, and Volvo has matching leather on the fob of the new XC90. These ain’t your grandmother’s keys.
New Levels of Wood Interiors
Fine woods have returned to the highest end of luxury, and open-pore woods have been selected more than ever before. Lexus takes it up a notch with the Shimamoku steering wheel, which takes 67 steps over 38 days to complete. The result is a meticulously assembled and beautiful steering wheel.
Both Bentley and Rolls-Royce can cut a tree down from your own property and use its wood in your vehicle.
The 2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost Alpine Trial Centenary Edition is pictured
“Connectivity”
Outside of the obvious infotainment aspect of connectivity, the modern luxury car is moving toward GPS connectivity for the transmission and suspension. The BMW and Rolls-Royce offerings share a transmission and suspension that takes GPS data into account, allowing the car to prepare for obstacles and other unfortunates that might threaten to make the ride anything but plush and effortless.
Sporty and Luxury: Cake and Eating
With the introduction of turbocharging as the de-facto way to achieve power and emissions goals, the luxury sedan has entered the era of big power while retaining a feeling of luxury. The Bentley Mulsanne Speed’s 530 hp and 811 lb-ft of torque are exhibit A, and despite a hefty 6,041-pound curb weight, it has both a supple ride and a 13.5-second quarter-mile time.
No comments:
Post a Comment