The comfort, equipment, amenities, quality, performance, and status of luxury cars are all better than those of regular cars. They show the status of their owners as well as the brand image of the company that made them. Luxury brands have always been at the top of the list. Traditionally, most luxury cars were big, but there have always been smaller sports-oriented models. “Compact” luxury cars, like hatchbacks and sport utility vehicles that can go off-road, are a relatively new trend.
1. Rolls-Royce Phantom
Rolls-Royce replaced the largest and most opulent luxury car in motoring in 2017, and our road testers welcomed it with a glittering five-star road test shortly after.
Owners will love it at least as much for how it shows off their wealth and status as they will for how special it makes them feel when they travel in one. But even though most people will never know this, the latest Phantom is also a joy to drive. Its smooth, quiet, and comfortable ride is like nothing else you’ll find in a car. Even though Rolls-Royce has installed the latest run-flat tyre technology, the ride is still quiet and smooth.
2. Bentley Flying Spur
Bentley’s four-door “Continental” series limousine (luxury car) started its modern society in 2006 as the Continental Flying Spur. It didn’t drop the “Continental” name until 2014, when it got its biggest redesign yet.
But the Flying Spur is now in its third generation, which you can tell by its bolder, more muscular design, which takes a lot of inspiration from the most recent, attractive Continental GT coupe. The “junior” saloon from Crewe also gets a lot out of a new platform that was made in collaboration with Porsche and has four-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars. It also keeps the luxurious cabin from being too affected by the road and sets the stage for really good driving dynamics. There are clear improvements in grip, balance, and steering.
3. Mercedes-Maybach S650
The S650 is the modern standard-bearer for Daimler’s Maybach superluxury brand. It is the richest and most special car in what may be the most respected and admired range of limousines in the world. From the outside, it looks at least as much like an S-Class as a Maybach. This is because Daimler made a strategic decision a few years ago to expand the Maybach brand by putting “halo” Maybach models in some of its regular Mercedes passenger car lines. At the same time, the ultra-rare, Simon Cowell-designed, Maybach-only 57 and 62 limousines were written out of history.
So, the fact that this car is “just” an S-Class may be both its best feature and its biggest weakness. Compared to a Rolls-Royce or Bentley, an S-Class might not have as much drool-worthy curb appeal. However, being an S-Class gives this car all those group suspension and driver assistance technologies, which help make it so refined, rich, and comfortable.
4. Bentley Mulsanne
In theory, an aristocratic limousine that can be seen from several hundred yards away and whose main goal is to serve the passenger’s needs first and the driver’s needs second might sound appealing. But if you think that actually owning one of these luxury cars might not be as appealing, don’t worry.
The Mulsanne is a high-end luxury four-door car that tries to look less flashy and loud than a key British limousine competitor. It feels less formal than that of the Rolls-Royce Phantom, and the inside looks and feels more like the smoking room of an old gentleman’s club than the ballroom with chandeliers in the Phantom. The quality of the materials, the shine and natural look of the wood veneers, and the tactile appeal of many of the fittings are the best in the world.
5. Rolls-Royce Cullinan
In 2018, Goodwood added the Marmite to its line of super luxury cars. This was in response to a lot of feedback from Rolls-Royce customers that a more daily-useable, all-terrain, family-friendly model would have been a very welcome way to add to the company’s showroom range.
The Cullinan’s design has been criticized by enough people from different backgrounds to make it clear that its maker took a big risk by making a car that some people have called awkward and ugly and others have slammed in even harsher terms. But if Rolls-market Royce’s research is accurate, and a year’s worth of confirmed orders is indeed a good sign that it is, the dislike of those who wouldn’t have bought a Cullinan anyway won’t stop it from being a commercial success.
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